Marvel will now dominate all media. Having conquered the multiplex, currently holding down TV with “Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (even as the show finds its footing), the next move for Marvel is streaming into the homes of fans everywhere with the simple click of a button.
Disney and Netflix have officially announced a plan to bring four original, live-action series to the streaming company, with the first of them to kick off in 2015. So who are we going to see? The company’s new acquired “Daredevil” is going to kick things off with “Jessica Jones,” “Iron Fist” and “Luke Cage” to follow. And that’s not all, as the studio will also be dropping a miniseries for “The Defenders.” Damn. It was just a few weeks ago that rumors first cropped up that Marvel was shopping four new TV shows and a miniseries around town, and not only has it turned out to be true, it’s for characters that have been part of rumor mill for a long time.
One has to hand it to Kevin Feige for being one of the savviest honchos around at this point, and who also knows how to keep a secret. After all, it was only about five months ago when he addressed inquires about the fate of “Daredevil” by saying: “There comes a time in contracts where, if a studio is done making the movies, [the characters] come home. That doesn’t mean we’re going to make another movie. But it means they’re back in the fold, which is where we want them to be.”
Moreover, this is a pretty canny move all around. Not only does Marvel get another premium outlet for their programming, this will (hopefully) allow them to take a few more chances that they might otherwise be cagier about doing when hundreds of millions of dollars are involved, or the ratings of a major network cable channel. Right now, Netflix has committed to 13-episode seasons for each show, though how long “The Defenders” mini will run hasn’t been determined.
Thoughts? Is this a good home for these characters to find their footing? The only bummer is that for those of you waiting for a “Luke Cage” standalone movie, it looks like that may be distant dream. Read the official press release here.
