Marvel has taken over the movies. There’s nothing that compares to the level of penetration that Marvel Cinematic Universe is bringing to the big-screen in recent years. On TV, though, it remains it to be seen how Marvel will perform. With Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC performing only moderately well, Marvel made a big-time announcement for more Marvel expansion plans.
Fans of Marvel and binge-watching rejoice, for Netflix will be releasing four (4!) live-action Marvel series, putting together pieces to build The Defenders. Here’s the Marvel press release:
Led by a series focused on “Daredevil,” followed by “Jessica Jones,” “Iron Fist” and “Luke Cage,” the epic will unfold over multiple years of original programming, taking Netflix members deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York. Netflix has committed to a minimum of four, thirteen episodes series and a culminating Marvel’s “The Defenders” mini-series event that reimagines a dream team of self-sacrificing, heroic characters.
That truly is a remarkable announcement, for both Netflix and Marvel. The uses of the new platform that is direct-to-streaming series programming has yet to really be explored. While Netflix has seen success with original programming (chiefly, with House of Cards), those successes remain in fairly traditional television programs. Marvel, it seems, will look to capitalize on the unique ability to create a binge-and-build-and-binge-and-build viewing experience of previously unseen programming that streaming alone seems capable of offering. All building anticipation towards a single event in The Defenders.
It’s the Marvel movie model-Phase I, Avengers, Phase II, Avengers II-brought to the home.
Marvel’s moment is clearly here, and will not last forever. But what continues to amaze about Marvel’s movies is the quality they have consistently maintained. The high-water mark for Marvel’s film releases has been astonishing, and the low-mark, frankly, is still pretty good. Especially compared to much of the summer blockbuster competition.
It’s hard to say how long the audience will hang around for Marvel (as long as the comic-book/superhero cultural momentum continues, they’ll remain on the upswing), but If Marvel and Disney can carry that level of quality over to their Netflix programming (they have the money, right Disney?) there’s no reason to think Marvel’s moment could not become Marvel’s decade. They have endless story arcs to mine-which are growing all the time-and most of the best remain as of yet untold.
Anyway. I look forward seeing the Marvel character sheet broadening-and bringing along some of the darker characters. I am curious just how dark Marvel and Disney will take these series. Life in Hell’s Kitchen is no walk in the park after all. Unfortunately, Mr. Affleck will likely be unavailable to reprise the roll.
