Starting from the first season of Daredevil, Netflix ushered in a new era of mature, gritty shows around Marvel characters. This was a big break from the usual big-budget pomp and fervor that we were used to seeing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iron Fist, and The Defenders. Finally, Disney (which owns Marvel now) exercised its hegemony over acquiring all these characters and that was the end of the Canon.
Die-hard fans still wish for these shows to make a comeback again but now that seems highly unlikely as Disney's priority with Marvel is pushing its shows (most of which are MCU-spinoffs) on Disney Plus. Here, we discuss five possibilities on how Netflix's Marvel shows can be canon again and 5 why they can't.
Can: High critics and audience ratings
Low ratings can be an excuse to cancel Iron Fist, but all seasons of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage drew immense critical acclaim making them some of the highest-rated comic-book shows. All three are certified 'Fresh' on Rotten Tomatoes and scored high points amongst viewers' consensus too. The Punisher was polarizing because of its subject matter and while critics' reactions were lukewarm, the audience score was up to 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.
So, if Disney Plus ever renewed these shows, there would be a loyal audience waiting to binge on them eagerly.
Can't: Exhaustion of Storylines
These shows don't just focus on action and comic-bookish elements but also character analyses and the morality behind every character's actions. The issue is that these themes might get monotonous after a few seasons. For instance, some noted how Daredevil's first season was very original from the dimly-lit street fights to the DIY costume. In Daredevil's second outing, however, the storyline got a little rushed for fans as new characters were thrown in the mix and Daredevil began giving off the vibe of a conventional superhero.
Playing with more and more characters from the comics is fun to watch and gives viewers many Easter Eggs but it might only grow exhausting in the long run. A similar example can be drawn from CW's Arrowverse (which seemed very original for fans in the first season but some started losing interest as the seasons got stretched). It's better to have a few memorable seasons rather than an unsatisfying finale.
Can: Luke Cage and Daredevil didn't give closure
Jessia Jones' third season dropped after Disney's decision. It was hence made like it's the final season and closed any potential for further storylines. But the final credits of the final seasons of Daredevil and Luke Cage extended the possibility to interpret various new reinterpretations of their characters. Daredevil Season 3 closed with a reflection of a bullseye on Agent Poindexter's eye, clearly intending that he'll take the mantle of Daredevil villain Bullseye in the next season.
Luke Cage Season 2 similarly ended with Harlem's street hero becoming a borderline-underworld don, owning Harlem's Paradise, the same nightclub where Cage fought many a foe. It's an interesting take on the character and lead actor Mike Colter himself suggested that the next season would have seen Cage be a do-gooder 'crime boss'. Maybe, sometime in the future, these shows get renewed just to tie these loose ends.
Can't: The Shows are a hard 'R'
MCU has always played it safe to garner more and more viewers. All their cinematic properties and shows likeAgents of SHIELD were PG-13 material. Considering that Disney's streaming service Disney Plus will focus on PG-rated characters like Loki and Scarlet Witch, it seems highly unlikely for Disney to show interest in shows from the Netflix canon.
The Netflix Marvel shows have never shied away from using excessive violence, sexuality, and profanity. Thematically too, these shows seem to be intended for older teens and mature viewers.
Can: The R-rated market is also profitable
However, there is a huge interest in R-rated comic book content these days. There used to be a time when people used to think no R-rated comic book character can be profitable, but the box-office performances of The Boys has drawn a fanbase after just one season.
Considering this, Disney Plus or whichever streaming service takes ownership of Netflix's Marvel canon might be interested in investing in these R-rated shows again.
Can't: Too many alternatives
As mentioned earlier, superhero TV is bustling with new shows for both kids-friendly and R-rated markets. This means that even if the Netflix Marvel canon was unique and unconventional in approach, people will have other superhero alternatives to quickly turn to. Disney Plus is all set to capture audiences with shows on characters that are already beloved by Marvel fans.
As Hulu also falls under Disney now, we can expect new Marvel shows under them too (Hulu had already created Titans.
Can: Netflix Universe is connected to the MCU
Through Easter Eggs and references to heroes like Hulk and Captain America, it's clear that the Netflix Marvel shows are supposed to be set in the same world as the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
And as the MCU is clearly going on further after Avengers: Endgame with future shows and movies planned on existing characters, we can hope for a slight possibility that our Netflix Marvel heroes might show up at least for surprise cameos in these future Marvel projects.
Can't: Lowering Viewer Ratings
Some fans might be loyal to these shows but sadly, this wasn't showing in the stats. Even though the Disney deal was the major reason for their canceling, Netflix also didn't mind doing away with its Marvel shows for they were garnering lower viewership.
Business Insider stated that social media interest around each show started dipping as new seasons dropped. There were around 300,000 Twitter and Instagram posts when the first season of Luke Cage released. But with the second season, the number took a dip of less than 50,000. Similarly, the buzz around the other shows too started decreasing.
Can: Jeph Loeb's letter
Jeph Loeb, who served as the head of Marvel TV, when the Netflix shows got axed was obviously disheartened when the news broke out. But in an emotional letter to the fans on Twitter, Loeb still gave a faint ray of hope.
He ended the letter by saying, 'Our network partner may have decided they no longer want to continue telling the tales of these great characters… but you know Marvel better than that.' Is this a hint that these Marvel heroes might return in some way or the other later on? We can only speculate.
Can't: The Cast and Crew are moving on
Charlie Cox starred opposite Tom Hiddleston (who will have a good year starring in the Loki series) in a West End production of Betrayal. Mike Colter starred in a supernatural show called Evil and voiced a character in Seis Manos, the Netflix adult animated show on martial arts. After Jessica Jones, Krysten Ritter was last seen portraying her classic character from Breaking Bad, Jane Margolis, in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. Finn Jones also seems to be working on a few projects that are currently in production.
Most of the main cast and crew behind these shows expressed their sadness and hopelessness on saying goodbye. But now except Vincent D'Onofrio (who played the notorious Kingpin in Daredevil), no actor is trying to campaign to bring the show back. One can't just go against a big corporation like Disney
