There has been speculation that Marvel shows like The Defenders and Daredevil could be leaving Netflix. The recent disappearance of episodes of Chelsea Handler’s talk show from the streaming platform is leading ComicBook.com to worry about a cull of other series. While Netflix have a stake in the Marvel shows, their future on the platform may not be guaranteed as Disney ramp up their own streaming service.
We think these worries aren’t entirely unreasonable, given how Netflix have abruptly cancelled plans for new runs of Iron Fist (probably for the best), and Luke Cage. While the Marvel/Netflix series have been a mixed bag, at their best they’ve carved out an identity distinct from other comic book properties. The most recent seasons of Jessica Jones and The Punisher also show that there’s still plenty of creative juice in those series, as well as ample material for binge watching.
We’re hopeful that The Defenders and other Marvel shows have a future. Indeed, producer Jeph Loeb isn’t ready to write off the universe or its characters just yet and we’ve also heard talk of Hulu or FX picking up the Defendersverse for new entries, while Marvel are contractually unable to use the characters for two years, even if they wanted to. At this stage, our opinion is that the legal lock should prevent Marvel or Disney from pulling episodes from Netflix, which in any case would be a pretty low move.
For now, it’s probably premature to worry about losing these shows from your Netflix queue. At the very least, we’ll have some more time to reconsider whether Iron Fist really was that bad.
What do you think, though? Are you worried about your favorite Marvel series’ future on Netflix? And, perhaps more importantly, would you be willing to shell out for more of the shows on another service? As always, let us know in the comments section below.