Though Marvel’s roster of Netflix original series tends to steal all the limelight – The Defenders, for instance, just planted the flag on a late summer premiere date – the studio has been making serious headway on a variety of other small screen projects.
From Runaways to The Inhumans to Freeform’s Cloak and Dagger, Marvelites will soon find themselves a little spoilt for choice, and The Hollywood Reporter brings word of a new addition to the fold. It’s called New Warriors, and will herald the TV debut of Squirrel Girl (AKA Doreen Green), the fan-favorite hero that was once linked with Pitch Perfect stalwart Anna Kendrick. Not only that, but Edgar Wright and the Russo Brothers were among those lobbying for Kendrick to land the gig.
Securing the services of an A-lister in the vein of Anna Kendrick may prove to be too much of a stretch for Marvel’s latest TV series, but fans can at least rejoice that New Warriors has been ordered straight to series at Freeform. Kevin Biegel (Cougar Town, Scrubs) has entered negotiations to pen the script, along with the possibility of serving as showrunner on the inaugural season. It’s said to be much lighter in tone than Marvel’s other TV offerings, and will release as a single-cam, 30-minute comedy sometime in 2018.
Running for ten episodes in total, THR’s report notes that New Warriors revolves around “six young people with powers living and working together. With powers and abilities on the opposite end of the spectrum of The Avengers, the New Warriors want to make a difference in the world…even if the world isn’t ready. With Freeform focused on a group dubbed “becomers” — those experiencing a series of firsts in life, including first loves and first jobs — New Warriors explores the journey into adulthood, except in this world, they’re not quite super and not yet heroes and the guys can be as terrifying as bad dates.”
New Warriors has officially set the wheels in motion at Marvel and Freeform, with casting due to commence imminently. Watch this space for more.