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| Source: Marvel Comics |
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A couple of episodes ago, the FIGcrew discussed what we wanted to see from the TV division of MARVEL studios going forward.
Sadly, Google accidentally ate that episode. So, even though there is no record of what our opinions were on the matter, allow me to say that we pretty much got everything on our Christmas list today.
Today, Marvel/Disney put the speculation to rest:
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.
Some thoughts:
- Leaving aside our speculation about She-hulk and Punisher, this announcement pretty much confirms everything else we speculated about during the lost episode.
- The
focus on street-level heroes culminating in an Avengers-style team up
(named the Defenders and not "Heroes for Hire") is exactly what we
speculated.
- Netflix is the best possible platform for an experiment like this.
- Buried in the press release is even bigger news: "beginning with 2016 theatrically
released feature films, Netflix will be the exclusive U.S. subscription
television service for first-run, live-action and animated movies from
the Walt Disney Studios, including titles from Disney, Walt Disney
Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Disneynature
and Lucasfilm."
- If this is successful, it opens the doors for all kinds of other content. Marvel branded, Netflix-exclusive all ages shows, more second tier heroes, the possibilities are truly endless.
You can read the full press release here:
The Walt Disney Co. and Netflix Inc.today announced an
unprecedented deal for Marvel TV to bring multiple original series of
live-action adventures of four of Marvel’s most popular characters
exclusively to the world’s leading Internet TV Network beginning in
2015. This pioneering agreement calls for Marvel to develop four
serialized programs leading to a miniseries programming event.
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.
Produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Television
Studios, this groundbreaking deal is Marvel’s most ambitious foray yet
into live-action TV storytelling.
“This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our
commitment to deliver Marvel’s brand, content and characters across all
platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an incredible platform for the
kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty,” said Alan Fine,
President of Marvel Entertainment. “This serialized epic expands the
narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the
flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure
to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.”
“Marvel’s movies, such as ‘Iron Man’ and Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’, are
huge favorites on our service around the world. Like Disney, Marvel is a
known and loved brand that travels,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer
Ted Sarandos. “With ‘House of Cards’ and our other original series, we
have pioneered new approaches to storytelling and to global distribution
and we’re thrilled to be working with Disney and Marvel to take our
brand of television to new levels with a creative project of this
magnitude.”
This new original TV deal follows last year’s landmark movie
distribution deal through which, beginning with 2016 theatrically
released feature films, Netflix will be the exclusive U.S. subscription
television service for first-run, live-action and animated movies from
the Walt Disney Studios, including titles from Disney, Walt Disney
Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Disneynature
and Lucasfilm. Netflix members can currently enjoy a wide range of
Disney, ABC TV and Disney Channel films and shows across the 41
countries where Netflix operates.
