Disney+ Unlikely To Save DAREDEVIL, LUKE CAGE, IRON FIST, JESSICA JONES Or THE DEFENDERS
For those holding out hope that the Disney+ streaming service could and would save the recently canceled Marvel/Netflix series, it seems we have bad news as that's unlikely to happen until at least 2020.
Marvel & Netflix shocked fans worldwide when they abruptly canceled Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist earlier this fall and while the latter two getting axed may have been somewhat expected, the cancelation of Daredevil after its critically-acclaimed third season was a complete curveball and likely spelled doom for Jessica Jones as well once its third season debuts in 2019.
While some fans were holding out hope that the upcoming Disney+ streaming service would be quick to revive the three shows, it seems increasingly unlikely that that's going to happen.
According to Variety, the original Marvel/Netflix deal contained a specific clause that prevents the characters from Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Defenders from appearing in any non-Netflix series or film for at least two years post-cancellation, meaning any of the recently canceled series wouldn't be legally eligible to move to the Disney-backed streaming service until at least 2020 at the earliest. If Jessica Jones also gets the axe next year, it wouldn't be able to move until 2021.
With that timeframe, the likelihood that fans will get to see this incarnation of the Defenders again is slim at best. Another thing to take into consideration is that, even with a move, a new season for any of the Marvel shows could take a year or more to go into production, which would make retaining actors and crew all that more difficult.
Also, with Marvel Studios currently developing a number of series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Loki, Vision and the Scarlet Witch, and Winter Soldier and the Falcon, it's hard to say whether Disney+ will even really want or need the more adult-oriented Marvel/Netflix content on their platform come 2020/2021.
As for The Punisher, which will debut its second season in January, its fate remains up in the air since it wasn't originally part of The Defenders deal. While a post-premiere cancellation seems likely, there's some reason to believe Netflix may actually decide to keep the fan-favorite series beyond Season 2.
For now, however, this is a disappointing turn of events - although with the characters now unlikely to return to any screen for at least two years, their lengthy absence could open the door for Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige to work on a way to reintroduce them on the big-screen in Phase 4.