Marvel is currently ruling the big screen with anything related to X-Men and Avengers, and it began to dominate the small screen on Netflix. Last year, Daredevil premiered, and it was given a successful season 2. Last fall, Netflix began another show that that takes place in the connected Marvel Cinematic Universe with Jessica Jones. Soon there will be other shows like Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and now The Punisher. However, will the shows end after The Defenders, or is something else going to happen after the release dates?
Vine Report states that the showrunners of Daredevil are focusing on The Defenders. The Defenders was part of the original plan to get all four of these characters together, for one show, like how Marvel set up the first Avengers film. The Defenders will be filming this year, but there are some characters that need to be introduced.
Not only will this delay Daredevil for possibly longer than its one-year hiatus, but Jessica Jones is going to be delayed as well. A report from iDigitalTimes says that filming for Season 2 will begin in 2017. There is some speculation on whether or not Season 2 will begin before or after whenever The Defenders takes place.
In the meantime, Luke Cage is planned to air on Netflix on September 30. Mike Colter will be playing the title character who was given proper introduction on Jessica Jones, and he will have his own issues to face in Harlem.
One issue that also needs to be faced in this darker Netflix version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Iron Fist. This character could also be given a proper introduction on Luke Cage, as Power Man (an alias of Luke Cage) and Iron Fist was a popular comic book that began in the seventies.
When the Avengers premiered in theaters in 2012, it was such a hit that audiences couldn't believe that there was more. And now that Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is beginning, it seems like there is no stopping Disney's Marvel franchise.
It is possible that The Defenders is the endgame for Netflix's Marvel Universe, or perhaps this is all part of a plan that takes them even higher. The issue is that Daredevil and Jessica Jones have had very little as far as crossovers are concerned, with the exception of a few side characters. Getting these characters all together in one room is something that the writers have to figure out, but will these characters have individual shows after The Defenders? It should be noted that The Defenders could have another season, and all of the solo shows could lead up to it.
All I can say is that Marvel and Netflix had better have some kind of long-term plan. The truth is that there could be a time coming soon where audiences will tire of superhero films, but by that time, it will be too late for Marvel and Netflix to cancel their TV plans for these superheroes.
