There has been a lot of upheaval for Marvel’s Netflix shows, from the early stages of development to cancellation, removal, and now, hopefully, a second chance. It was initially envisioned as a way to expand the MCU to television, with shows like Daredevil and Jessica Jones, The Punisher, and more getting their own television series before Disney+ was created.
The lack of acknowledgment from Marvel Studios’ films, as well as the fact that the series was produced by Marvel Television, raised questions about their true connections to the MCU as the shows progressed. Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage were some of the most popular shows, but subsequent installments like Iron Fist and disappointing seasons eventually led to the show’s cancellation.
There was no way to know what would happen to the Defenders and their respective shows until the possibility of the characters’ rights returning to Marvel Studios arose. Daredevil characters were used in NWH and Hawkeye, which further hinted that the Netflix gang might be reincorporated in the near future. The news that all of the series would leave the streaming platform on March 1 only confirmed this suspicion.
It was previously unknown where fans could watch Netflix shows after they were removed, but a new announcement has shed light on where the shows will be available in the future.
The Big Move To Disney+
As previously reported, a press release from Disney Canada has confirmed the release date of Marvel’s Netflix-distributed showcases after they were removed from Netflix on February 28.
Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and The Defenders will all begin streaming on Disney+ Canada on March 16th, 2022, according to news released by the service. Disney+ in the United States and other territories may or may not begin streaming these series on this date. The status of Agents of SHIELD, which is also set to be taken down from Netflix soon, has not yet been announced.
Disney+’s Way Of Promoting Marvel’s Netflix Shows
In light of Disney+ Canada’s recent announcement, Marvel’s Defenders can finally return to its proper home. The Disney+ U.S. release date still hasn’t been confirmed. but the fact that the shows are already available in international territories suggests an official announcement could be made sooner rather than later.
Marvel’s Netflix shows have long been a source of controversy among fans due to the shows’ ambiguous relationship to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe.
NWH and Hawkeye, two major characters from the Defenders universe who made an appearance in Spider-Man, heightened the tensions even further. For his part as Kingpin, Vincent D’Onofrio faced off against Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton and Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, Charlie Cox played Matt Murdock, who helped Tom Holland’s Peter Parker sort out his legal messes.
Daredevil’s Kingpin is the same as Hawkeye’s Kingpin, according to D’Onofrio, who admitted that “it’s the same canon,” but he completely understood the confusion. “When a character comes back into the Marvel sandbox, it becomes another [storytelling] tool,” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige cryptically said, per the Hollywood Reporter.
Daredevil, Luke Cage, and the rest of the Marvel Netflix shows may be scheduled to premiere on Hulu or Star. In addition to joining the MCU, Defenders-led projects could also become a part of the overall MCU timeline, further cementing their significance.
If that’s the case, viewers will learn more about the Infinity Saga’s place for shows like Jessica Jones and The Defenders. That allows fans to get a better sense of what Netflix shows are all about, and it could even hint at how major films like Avengers: Endgame will affect the titular heroes.
