Tag Archives: Marvel Netflix Universe

Dec 1 2018

Daredevil Cancelled

Daredevil, the crown jewel in the Marvel Netflix Universe, has been cancelled by the same streaming service. Many saw this coming in light of recent developments, nevertheless, the news still hit us fans pretty hard. After all, it is the best of the Marvel Netflix shows and we’re still celebrating its triumphant third season, which was released just weeks ago. Now many are asking what’s next for Daredevil? Will Disney pick up a fourth season to stream on its upcoming streaming service, Disney+, or promote the character into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)?

Here is what is known. After Daredevil was canceled by Netflix on Thursday, November 29, Marvel quickly released this statement on the same day:

“We are tremendously proud of the show’s last and final season and although it’s painful for the fans, we feel it best to close this chapter on a high note. We’re thankful to our partners at Marvel, showrunner Erik Oleson, the show’s writers, stellar crew and incredible cast including Charlie Cox as Daredevil himself, and we’re grateful to the fans who have supported the show over the years. While the series on Netflix has ended, the three existing seasons will remain on the service for years to come, while the Daredevil character will live on in future projects for Marvel.”

On another statement released on Friday, November 30, Marvel added, “Marvel is extremely grateful to the huge audience that loved Marvel’s Daredevil. From the moment of young Matt’s first act of heroism to the birth of Page, Murdock and Nelson, it has been an unbelievable journey. We are incredibly proud of the amazing showrunners and writers starting with [exec producers] Drew Goddard and Steven DeKnight, Marco Ramirez and Doug Petrie and Erik Oleson, [stars] Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Vincent D’Onofrio and our casts who brought our characters to life with such excellence, and every one of the fantastic crews in NYC. We look forward to more adventures with the Man without Fear in the future,”

Looking Ahead

So what does this mean? Is there hope we haven’t seen the last of Daredevil and the other heroes of the Marvel Netflix Universe? Sure, Jessica Jones and The Punisher have new seasons coming up, but with Daredevil’s cancellation, the writing is on the wall for those shows and the Marvel Netflix Universe. Well, trying to read between the spin, the real message is mixed…and most of us won’t be happy.

Marvel (and Disney) owns Daredevil, the character. They have the right and the power to bring him back immediately in any form, whether as an animated film, a live-action movie, appearances in MCU films, etc. But it seems that Netflix owns the rights to the current incarnation, that is the one starring Charlie Cox, who made the character his own. Think of it this way, if Disney got back the rights to the X-Men, but didn’t have the right to use Hugh Jackman as Wolverine or showing the mutants in those black, leather outfits. They could do that now since they own 20th Century Fox, but just imagine this situation as to what might occur with Daredevil.

From the statements, Daredevil will return, but most likely as a reboot. The same way Marvel Studios recast and rebooted Spider-Man, and from all indications it appears that Marvel Studios will do this with the future X-Men films. In Spider-Man’s case, the rebooting was welcome since Sony Pictures’ latest films had fallen short. As for the X-Men, their films have been a mixed bag and lauded stars like Jackman and Patrick Stewart were done with their characters. This situation with Daredevil is especially stinging because the show is so damn good and the third season is arguably its best and lived up to the full potential of the character. The casting was perfect, starting with Cox as the down-to-earth and conflicted superhero and D’Onofrio’s Kinpin just crushes it.

So what is next? Marvel Studios may use the character but not for a while. There is recasting and such to deal with. Disney+ won’t pick up the show for new seasons because Daredevil is more adult-oriented, meaning violent. It would not gel with the family-friendly image of Disney. Perhaps Hulu, which is co-owned by Disney, could pick it up. We would all like that, but it’s not likely. Ditto with the character appearing in the MCU in the short term. No, it most likely means that Cox and the others are out, we won’t see the Man Without Fear for some time and this confirms that the Marvel Netflix shows were never really part of the MCU anyway.

Why Cancel It?

How can Marvel let this go? There were reports that a fourth season of Daredevil was being prepared before the cancellation. The correct question is why did Netflix do this and effectively kill the Marvel Netflix Universe?

Doomed Defenders

There isn’t an official reason for the cancellation. Some theorize that viewership was down, even though the third season received rave reviews and buzz, but Netflix won’t release its numbers. The writing has been on the wall with the Marvel Netflix shows ever since the announcement of Disney+. Tensions between Disney and Netflix came to a boil with the announcement because Netflix will lose many of the Disney films and shows currently airing on the streaming service.

By creating and promoting new episodes of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, Netflix is promoting one of the brand IPs of their new competitor. Why would anyone do that? Plus, Netflix reached a deal with Mark Millar to create new non-Marvel superhero shows so why spend resources for their competition? Given how successful Netflix is, the service didn’t need the Marvel brand to pull in subscribers as in the past. It’s hard to fault Netflix though we don’t like the decision.

This development is just terrible, but at least we have the three seasons (and his appearance in The Defenders) to rewatch and enjoy over and over again. Unlike other superhero adaptations, Daredevil hit it out of the park from the very start and we have to thank Netlix and Marvel for finally bringing us a version of the Man Without Fear that lived up to its potential and surpassed it.

Lewis T. Grove

 

Oct 22 2018

The Imploding Marvel Netflix Universe

First, Iron Fist was canceled a week ago by Netflix. Now, after the third season of Daredevil dropped during the past weekend, Netflix announced that Luke Cage has also been canceled. While the axing of Iron Fist was not a unexpected, the cancellation of the latter show came as a big surprise given reports that a new season was about to be greenlit. With these developments, which includes the coming of the Disney streaming app, fans of the Marvel Netflix Universe are wondering if this it for the Marvel Netflix shows.

This may be hard to swallow for some given how well received the Marvel Netflix Universe was at the beginning. Daredevil and Jessica Jones are still considered the best of these shows and created the most buzz, even though the second seasons of both shows weren’t as good as the first. But we have to admit the luster has gone from these shows thanks to the uneven nature of recent shows. Namely Iron Fist, Luke Cage and The Defenders mini-series. So in a sense, the cancellations are not all that surprising. Still, the development signals an uncertain future for the shows.

Luke Cage and Iron Fist

What could happen at this point? A common belief is that Disney will take all the shows for their streaming service, Disney Play, when it launches next year, and it is hoped that Iron Fist and Luke Cage will find new lives in the service. However, it needs to be stressed that the Marvel Netflix shows are for Netflix to cancel or continue, not Disney. Also, the service will cater to more family friendly fare that at most will be PG-13. The Marvel Netflix shows are certainly more adult oriented with their violence. Can you see a brutal show like The Punisher airing on Disney Play? One option is for Disney to stream these shows on Hulu where it will soon own a majority share. The entertainment giant has indicated that more adult fare will stream on Hulu instead of Disney Play. These shows will certainly fit in there if this is to be the new model for Hulu and allow Disney to move Runaways over to Disney Play.

The thing is would Disney want to resurrect Luke Cage and Iron Fist? Both shows have had their problems, but they had their merits and the second season of Iron Fist was a vast improvement over the first. Meanwhile, the second season of Luke Cage ended on a semi-cliffhanger where Luke seemed to be headed towards a dark path as he took over as a benevolent crime lord in Harlem. This was a clear set up for a third season storyline, in fact, the scripts were written for the new season, which won’t see the light of day now. Iron Fist, too, ended with an intriguing new direction for the next season as Danny Rand and Colleen Wing displayed awesome new abilities, which promised an adaptation of the “Immortal Iron Fist” story from the comics.

All this handwringing could be for nothing. For all we know, Netflix may announce tomorrow that both shows will be combined into Heroes For Hire. Fans know that this is what happened with their comic book counterparts when their books were combined into Powerman and Iron Fist back in the ’70s and ’80s.

Then again, Netflix probably and justifiably sees Disney as a genuine threat and has enough original material to dispel with the Marvel Netflix shows. After all, these shows are nominally set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and thus provide a measure of advertising for Disney and Marvel, so why help the competition?

Marvel netflix

New seasons of Jessica Jones and The Punisher have been completed and will stream next year. At that point, we will have a clearer idea of where the Marvel Netflix Universe is headed. The next thing to look out for is if Daredevil is renewed for a fourth season. If so, then fans can relax. If no announcements are made or if Daredevil and the surviving shows are axed then it’s over. Sad as this may be, at least we had several seasons and crossovers to enjoy and we can be confident that we have not seen the last of these urban superheroes.

*UPDATE: To no one’s surprise, both Jessica Jones and The Punisher have been cancelled by Netflix. Once Daredevil was cancelled mere weeks after its third season streamed, the writing on the wall regarding the Marvel Netflix Universe was clear to see. With the success of The Umbrella Academy, Netflix has demonstrated that it no longer needs Marvel properties. The question remains how long will the Marvel Netflix shows remain on the streaming service once Disney+ (formerly Disney Play) is available. Fans of the Marvel shows are holding on to a glimmer of hope with the news that Marvel is looking for ways to bring back the characters. Perhaps on Hulu or Disney+, however, Disney is not allowed to do anything with the specific characters until two years have past. That’s not so bad since it means Daredevil could return as early as late next year, but will it and the other shows be rebooted with new actors? We’ll find out.