Today it was announced that Disney/Marvel and Netflix have reached an agreement for 4 live-action series and 1 mini-series to premiere exclusively on Netflix beginning in 2015. Each series will be around 10-13 episodes and culminate in one giant mini-series event.
We now know what those shows will be: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. These will then bleed into the mini-series The Defenders. I for one, could not be more excited. We’ve seen now for the last 9 months that Netflix is a serious player in the TV game. House of Cards and Orange is the New Black have boosted the profile of the netlet, and given credence to the idea that TV on TV is antiquated. With the addition of Marvel’s power and control over it’s product, we’ll get characters that will really flesh out the Marvel Universe in way that we’ve been hoping S.H.I.E.L.D would do (the jury is still out on this show). Also, each of those properties, in the books at least, represents the darker and seedier side of the Marvel Universe, so I’m hoping that Netflix, recognizing this, makes shows that are a bit darker, and more character driven.
I would have loved to see The Punisher or Blade get another crack at serialized TV, but this is an extremely good start. I’m very excited to see how the casting and production of these shows plays out. Because Netflix is going the prestige-route with most of its shows thus far, these shows no doubt will draw some serious talent to their productions.
About Russ Stevens
Russ Stevens is an editor and writer at Rookerville and a guidance counselor at Nyack HS. He mostly writes about either loving or hating things. In his spare time, he performs Improv comedy with his troupe Priest and The Beekeeper and is a co-producer of their monthly variety show Pig Pile. He loves all the New York sports teams that are historically bad, and he hates lateness more than anything in the world.