The clock is running out on Netflix’s Marvel series, which are set to leave the streaming service at the end of this month. But where will the Defenders-verse (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Punisher, Iron Fist, and the Defenders crossover event) land next? The obvious answer is Disney+, which is currently home to Marvel’s latest television offerings. But how will these mature, violent series jibe with Disney+’s family-friendly ethos?
We’ve already seen Defenders characters pop up in the MCU, with Daredevil’s (Charlie Cox) cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Vincent D’Onofrio reprising his role as Kingpin in Hawkeye. But while these characters make a welcome return to the MCU, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll retain the Netflix edge. To put it simply, I can’t imagine Disney+ would feature a scene where Kingpin decapitates a lackey with a car door.
Of course, Disney and Marvel could always relocate these series to Hulu, home of more mature fare. Or they could edit versions of these series to be more family-friendly. That seems like a non-starter for fans, as well as the series creators.
Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker expressed his concerns on Twitter, writing “Rewatching Luke Cage while I can on Netflix. They’re going to do what they do. It’s theirs. I just hope they don’t sit on it for years to allow for an easier reboot, or re-air it with a different mix, or the N-Word muted. I’d love to do commentary tracks, or the original credits.”
No official announcements have been made about the Netflix shows, but it seems like censorship would be unlikely. After all, Disney+ has a full slate of family-friendly shows coming up, and the Netflix series already have their diehard fanbases. A kid-friendly edit appeals to no one, as Marvel is already charting a deliberate path forward with their current slate. While I’m all for Netflix characters popping up in the MCU (please let Jessica Jones show up in She-Hulk) a new edit of these series is deeply unnecessary.
But you know what would be great? Bringing the Netflix shows and adding a commentary track like Coker suggested. Disney+ (or Hulu) could easily bring fans back with new features like director’s commentary, deleted scenes, and whatever extras are lying around from the Netflix era.
In the meantime, the Defenders-verse still doesn’t have a home. So if you want to re-visit any of the Netflix Marvel series, you’ve got 6 days to do so. Just take my advice and skip Iron Fist until you get to the Colleen Wing scenes.
(image: Sarah Shatz/Netflix)
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