UPDATE: Well, we got what we asked for!
Over the last couple of weeks, I have decided to revisit the Marvel Netflix shows and rewatch them in order. Starting off with DareDevil, obviously, I was once again blown away by the performances of Charlie Cox, Elden Henson, Deborah Ann Woll, and Vincent D’Onofrio, respectively. And it really got me thinking about how much I enjoyed the other members of the Defenders in their respective shows as well.
Krysten Ritter in particular was and is the perfect choice for Jessica Jones, just as Cox is for Murdock and Bernthal is for Castle. Mike Colter left a little to be desired but overall I really enjoyed Luke Cage and following his story, too. As for Finn Jones as Iron Fist? Eh, I think he got a raw end of a poorly designed deal. He could have been great, but Iron Fist showrunner Scott Buck did everything in his power to ruin those seasons so I can’t blame Jones for bad writing and poor direction. He could’ve been great, but… he just wasn’t.
What I am really trying to say here, is that the Marvel Netflix shows are part of the canon, no matter how badly Feige wants to keep them segregated from their big-screen successes. And no matter the flaws that may have plagued some of the episodes, or seasons at large of the Defenders, that should not get in the way of bringing them home where they belong. Ugh, okay, maybe Iron Fist can come along, too. Just, do a little better next time, would ya?
At the time of this writing, Disney has launched its Disney+ streaming service that plays host to not only an extensive library of Disney shows and films, but Marvel content as well. Unfortunately, there really has not been any talk about reviving any of either DareDevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, or the greater Defenders with any form of continuity or as a reboot on Disney+. That said, the fall of this year, the rights to DareDevil will be stripped from Netflix and will revert back to Disney|Marvel which will allow them to do whatever it is they want to do with it. Unfortunately, Matt Murdock himself, actor Charlie Cox has expressed in the past that he doubts that a fourth season of DareDevil will happen at all with him involved, let alone on Disney+.
Jessica Jones, a show I consider to be just as good as DareDevil with an equally dynamic and impressive cast (and better soundtrack), won’t revert its right back to Marvel for another several months. We have heard that Jessica Jones will be freed up somewhere around February of 2021 and thus allowing Marvel to do whatever they want with the character. We just hope they keep Ritter around, because she is truly fantastic.
Unlike Jones and Murdock, Danny Rand|Iron Fist and the rights along with the character have already returned to Marvel. In fact, this happened just over a week ago. However, while we are really pushing to see Ritter|Jones and Murdock|Cox return, Finn Jones as Danny Rand is something we could probably live without. Sure, Finn Jones played his role decently in Game of Thrones, and that was enough to get us to look forward to seeing him taking on a role in the larger Marvel universe, but his series was so poorly written, choreographed, and managed that it actually causes me physical pain just thinking about it. And we have Scott Buck to blame for that.
Unfortunately, everything Scott Buck touches turns to sh*t. He was in charge of Marvel’s Inhumans, which flopped spectacularly, and was never heard from or about ever again. This guy was in charge of the whole Iron Fist show, which also crashed and burned so badly, we may never see a live-action show featuring this character again. But here is a fun fact for ya- Scott Buck was also the showrunner for Showtime’s Dexter from season six onward. Funny how that show was awesome for the first five seasons and then all of a sudden it felt like a completely different show starting with the sixth season and sucked so badly, the only ending worse than Dexter’s finale was the 8th season of Game of Thrones. Luckily for Dexter fans, Showtime recognized how bad that show ended and recently announced a new 10-episode season to debut next year. Just hope Marvel shows the same compassion and care for Iron Fist.
As for Luke Cage, Marvel just got the rights back literally this week on Monday the 19th. Whether or not we see Mike Colter return as the character has yet to be seen, and probably won’t be for a while. We just wonder if and when they do bring it back, if they will echo some of the comic elements that sees Jessica Jones and Luke Cage married to each other with both joining the New Avengers.
Like Jessica Jones, The Punisher and its rights revert back to Marvel in the same month of February next year. Jon Bernthal got a pretty good run as Frank Castle, what with his presence in DareDevil and his own two seasons. Although, it does make you wonder whether or not Marvel|Disney would keep the character so violent. Maybe that would, but it certainly seems they would have to consider the very nature of Frank Castle. We doubt that the Punisher’s first two Netflix seasons, and the rest of the Marvel|Netflix shows will show up outside of Netflix, as Netflix owns the rights to those. But if you think about it, the cast could certainly return since J.K. Simmons returned to the Marvel Universe, specifically in Spider-Man: Far From Home as J. Jonah Jameson, a character he previously portrayed in the Sam Raimi trilogy of Spider-Man films. Plus, Jamie Foxx was also announced to replay the same character for the MCU as Electro, the very same character he played in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 with Andrew Garfield.
The Marvel|Netflix heroes, namely the Defenders +Punisher, are indeed in the same universe as the MCU heroes and films. So it doesn’t really make much a difference that Doctor Strange 2 is likely going to open up the MultiVerse, and before that, rumors suggest that Spider-Man 3 will already do so with an invite to other Spider-Men across various films. Maybe that will do it, but it likely won’t matter. Although, Spider-Man has a history with pretty much all the characters in the Netflix shows, namely DareDevil. Seriously, could you imagine a scenario where Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is being held by the authorities only for Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock to walk-in demand Peter say nothing without the presence of his lawyers, Nelson & Murdock? A boy can dream. Just remember that the internet can make demands.
The shows nod to their MCU heroes and even wave here and there to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but beyond that, you wouldn’t recognize their relationship much. It’s kind of like seeing an ex-romantic partner at a family event. Maybe a wink, a fake smile, or some sort of finger guns from across the room, but that’s about as far as it goes. Unless of course, you’re desperate. Which Marvel certainly is not.
We really hope that these characters return someday and join their fellow heroes on the big screen. We hope even more that these characters are played by the same actors and actresses from their respective Netflix series, and it can happen if we voice these sentiments loudly enough. So please, do yourself a favor and call your reps. Write to Kevin Feige, Tweet about, like a post on FaceChat, share some memes on Snapgram or whatever the kids are using these days and let your voice be heard!
