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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has spawned a massive slate of Disney+ spin-off series, from the weird and wonderful WandaVision to the grounded action of Hawkeye and back to weird (but awesome) with Moon Knight. And they’re just going to keep cranking out more. Coming soon are She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Secret Invasion, Armor Wars, Echo, and a very, very big “etc.”
Not to go the streaming Boomer route, but “back in our day,” we had the Netflix Marvel catalog. The roster started with the flagship heart and soul series Daredevil, continued with the dark and hysterical Jessica Jones, the righteous and thrilling Luke Cage, the maligned Iron Fist, and culminated with the team up series The Defenders. Oh, and the Punisher shot up some bad guys for two seasons along the way.
The Netflix Defenders roster has always shared DNA with the MCU. Right off the bat, the Loki-led Chitauri onslaught and wholesale razing of Manhattan in the Avengers was the underlying story of Daredevil. Wilson Fisk and his goons from the gutters up to the boardroom seized on the opportunity to rebuild the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in their own image in the wake of the alien attack. Daredevil fought his way to and through Fisk, and the Marvel Netflix line-up was off to a strong start.
The aforementioned shows followed Daredevil to (mostly) acclaim and a loyal fanbase. We have great shows, great characters, and actors clamoring to get in on the Disney+ action. It’s really a matter of two questions: “Should the MCU bring back the Defenders team?” and “Do they WANT to bring them back?”
Can We Have Too Much Marvel?
“Aren’t you sick of superheroes by now?” This question has been asked and answered regularly since Iron Man first took flight in 2008. And going by the ever-growing cash mound at Marvel Studios, the answer is a resounding NOPE. But this doesn’t just happen organically; the MCU has happened very much on purpose.
Since its inception, Marvel Studios has been careful to exercise a controlled release of content. This has meant a typical slate of 1-3 films per year. Since the Disney+ MCU launched with WandaVision, they’ve been letting a few months lapse in between new shows. Marvel has mastered the old trick of leaving us wanting more.
So does this mean we could see the Netflix cast-offs get new episodes on Disney+? Or has their time passed? Adding Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist to the already stacked streaming pack could result in a bloated logjam of characters. But on the other hand, it’s not like Marvel is going to stop developing new shows, so why not give these streaming elders a fresh start along with the new blood?
Jessica Jones’ first season is on par with the best from Marvel. Actress Krysten Ritter sneered, wisecracked, and brawled her way into our hearts as the titular character. Mike Colter’s Luke Cage brought us a thoughtful and conflicted take on a man who’d prefer to walk away from every fight he’d effortlessly dominate. Finn Jones’ turn as Iron Fist was the perfect foil to the more grounded teammates, arrogant and fearless and running headfirst into every battle.
There can never be too much Marvel. We’ve been tactfully bombarded with new characters, films, and shows for nearly 15 years, and we keep lining up for more. So yes, there’s room for the Netflix crew.
Are There Any Plans to Resurrect the Netflix Shows?
So far, we only have confirmation on the return of Daredevil to the MCU. We’ve already seen him in limited, brick-blocking action in Spider-Man: No Way Home, along with official word on a Disney+ continuation of the character. Have there been any rumblings on Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, or Iron Fist? Disappointingly, no. But it’s still relatively early in the speculation process as nearly six months passed between Daredevil’s No Way Home cameo and news of his Disney+ resurrection.
Jessica Jones actress Krysten Ritter is all in and vocal on reprising her role, according to a 2021 interview with Screen Rant:
“I would absolutely just die to play Jessica again. I had the best time doing it and I just love her so much. I’m so proud of that character. Not only because it was like a great role and she’s such a bad-ass, but that character has really resonated with people in a way that I don’t know who else has. Really, really resonated with women and girls, trauma survivors. It’s just so, so big and such a thing I’m so grateful to have been a part of. So if there’s ever an opportunity for me to put on those boots, I will be there in a flash.”
Mike Colter is open to walk in the indestructible skin of Luke Cage once again, and Finn Jones was disappointed enough in the abrupt end of Iron Fist’s run to want another go.
Ultimately, the actors and fans can campaign and clamor all they want; the rest of the Defenders’ fate is up to Marvel Studios and guru Kevin Feige. All creative and character decisions run through his office and come down to his say. When asked if there were plans to bring back the characters, Feige was characteristically vague.
Again, it comes down to “should they” and “will they” introduce new Defenders stories into the MCU? The former question will inform the latter; if there are stories left to tell and worth telling, we think we’ll see the Defenders again.