Netflix’s former Marvel shows move to Disney Plus this March
Marvel’s Netflix shows, including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, The Defenders, and other shows set in their universe will officially move to Disney Plus this month.
With Netflix's license to distribute the Marvel Television series ending and the rights reverting back to Disney, Disney Plus will start streaming the shows starting March 16, 2022.
"The countdown is on," the streaming platform announced on Twitter on Tuesday, March 1 teasing the live-action Marvel shows making the big move.
The countdown is on. Marvel's Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, The Punisher, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. start streaming March 16 on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/sfoT61XilS
— Disney+ (@disneyplus) March 1, 2022
The Marvel series lineup includes three seasons of Daredevil with Charlie Cox, three seasons of Jessica Jones with Krysten Ritter, two seasons of Luke Cage with Mike Colter, two seasons of Iron Fist with Finn Jones, The Defenders miniseries, and two seasons of The Punisher with Jon Bernthal.
Additionally, all seven seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel Television's first series for ABC, joins the big move to Disney Plus.
For Netflix subscribers around the world, who have yet to finish watching all the Marvel series, the move comes as a blow as the content represents over 160 episodes across a four-year span of releases. Daredevil season 1 first premiered on Netflix in April 2015.
With the exception of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., most of the titles contain very dark, adult-themed content. The shows are among the edgiest live-action Marvel shows to date, often featuring sex, graphic violence, and other themes inappropriate for children. Disney's Marvel universe has typically been rated PG-13.
In light of the more mature ratings attached to the likes of Daredevil and Jessica Jones, Disney Plus is adding new parental controls to the platform, according to an official Disney press release.
Starting March 16, subscribers will be prompted to update their settings, which will include the option to select content ratings restrictions for each user profile, add a PIN to lock profiles, and enable a Kid-Proof Exit feature that ensures viewers cannot leave their Kids Profile without completing an exit challenge.
Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher, which were originally planned to expand the Marvel Cinematic Universe and connect to the events of Disney's Avengers films, were canceled starting in 2018.
Marvel had originally planned to develop The Defenders shows in 2013, but in the wake of the Disney Plus streaming platform, they developed other shows tied to the MCU including WandaVision, Loki, Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Hawkeye.
However, recent crossovers on the small and big screen have tied the separate Marvel entities together.
Vincent D'Onofrio who played Kingpin in Netflix’s Daredevil returned in Disney Plus' Hawkeye series last year. Charlie Cox, also popped up as lawyer Matt Murdock/Daredevil in an unexpected cameo to give legal advice to Tom Holland's Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The re-emergence of the key characters reportedly gave a ratings boost to Daredevil on Netflix and their move to Disney Plus will further consolidate the live-action shows in one platform.
"Disney Plus has served as the home for some of the most beloved brands in the industry, and the addition of these live-action shows brings more from the Marvel brand together, all in one place," Michael Paull, President of Disney Streaming, said in a statement.
"We have experienced great success with an expanded content offering on Disney Plus across our global markets and are excited to continue that here in the US as well by offering our consumers not only great content with the new Marvel additions, but also a set of features that help ensure a viewing experience most suitable for them and their family."
Disney has confirmed that Netflix’s Marvel shows will be coming to Disney Plus in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, with the parental controls available in the US starting March 16, 2022.
Unfortunately for Filipino viewers, the Disney Plus streaming service is not yet officially available in the Philippines.