Marvel Studios reportedly has several new live-action television shows in development, despite recent indications that the company intends to dramatically reduce its output for Disney+.
According to Puck, Marvel is actively developing “multiple” live-action series for the streaming service. Although the specific projects remain unknown, announcements could arrive in the near future.
Paul Bettany as Vision – Disney+
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The report follows a surprisingly quiet D23, where Marvel did not reveal any new live-action Disney+ shows. The studio instead focused its attention on theatrical projects such as Avengers: Doomsday and the upcoming X-Men reboot.
VisionQuest—which has been described as the final chapter of the WandaVision trilogy—was the only new live-action Marvel series prominently featured during the event. It premieres on October 14.
Is Marvel Really Cutting Back on Disney+ Shows?
The new report appears to contradict previous claims that Marvel is winding down its live-action television operation after VisionQuest. However, the two accounts may not be entirely incompatible.
On August 14, Collider reported that “Marvel Studios will be cutting back on live-action Disney+ shows.” However, it noted the possibility of Marvel miniseries and specials, like this year’s Punisher: One Last Kill, being released under the “Marvel Presents” and “Marvel Spotlight” banners.
The report suggested that expensive Lucasfilm and Marvel shows were viewed internally as “grand experiments” designed to determine how effectively Disney+ could compete with Netflix and HBO Max.
(L-R): Charlie Cox as Daredevil/Matt Murdock and Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk/Jennifer “Jen” Walters in Marvel Studios‘ She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2022 MARVEL.
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Marvel could have several projects in development while remaining far more selective about which shows eventually receive approval. Development does not guarantee that a series will enter production. Disney will likely evaluate the expense and effectiveness of streaming-exclusive superhero content in relation to broader market trends.
Marvel’s Television Strategy Is Already Changing
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige previously acknowledged that the company intends to produce considerably less television programming.
“Where we have great actors playing great characters, I think it would be fun to see them multiple places,” Feige told Variety last year. “But the output will be much less.”
The studio released five live-action Disney+ shows in 2021 alone. That aggressive approach required audiences to follow hours of interconnected content to remain current with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also contributed to complaints that the franchise had become oversaturated and increasingly difficult to follow.
This year, both the second season of Daredevil: Born Again and Wonder Man failed to generate significant audience interest. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 failed to crack Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming programs, while Wonder Man appeared only briefly.
A screenshot from Marvel’s Wonder Man – Disney+
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Those results lend considerable weight to the idea that Disney and Marvel will scale back their streaming output after VisionQuest and Daredevil: Born Again Season 3.
Marvel also recently canceled the second season of Wonder Man despite previously renewing the show and securing the return of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley. Showrunner Andrew Guest had written the premiere and outlined the remaining episodes before Disney reversed course.
What Shows Could Marvel Be Developing?
Neither Puck nor Marvel has identified the projects currently in development. However, the expanding mutant corner of the MCU could provide material for future Disney+ shows.
Several new X-Men characters are expected to appear in Avengers: Doomsday before Marvel launches its theatrical reboot. Puck suggested that these characters could eventually “bleed into” the company’s streaming strategy.
Given the decades of material available from Marvel Comics, the possibilities are practically endless. Whether audiences remain enthusiastic about more superhero television is another matter entirely.
Still, the latest report suggests that Marvel has not abandoned live-action television. Fans should probably expect fewer shows, more cautious spending, and a development process in which many proposed projects never reach Disney+.
Do you think there will be more shows from Marvel Studios? Sound off and let us know!
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