etflix has quietly confirmed its suite of Marvel series will be leaving the platform next month, in what will surely be a major blow to the popular streaming service.
If you head over to Netflix and click on any show within The Defenders universe, you’ll be greeted with a notification that these series are only “available until 03/01/2022”. We’ve confirmed this message appears on Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Punisher. It also pops up on the home screen for crossover series The Defenders.
There’s no indication yet as to where these series will end up, though Disney Plus seems like the obvious choice. However, as these series are fairly grown up in tone, not to mention pretty violent, Hulu could end up being their new U.S destination. Wherever they end up, losing them all creates a big hole in Netflix’s content catalog.
Daredevil, Jessica Jones and the rest of The Defenders leaving Netflix marks the end of a fruitful collaboration between the streamer and Marvel. The first series of Daredevil premiered to a rave reception in 2015, and was followed by two more seasons. Jessica Jones entered the fray just a few months later and also ran for three seasons. Luke Cage, Iron First and The Punisher all got two seasons each. In 2017, The Defenders limited series saw them all join together in what was essentially the television equivalent of an Avengers movie.
While these Marvel shows may be leaving Netflix we don’t expect it’ll be the last we see of their stars. Charlie Cox already reprised his role as Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil) in a brief cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home, while Vincent D’Onofrio returned as Kingpin in the Disney Plus original series Hawkeye. It would seem likely that Disney plans to integrate at least some characters from the Netflix shows into its Marvel Cinematic Universe in the future.
There’s no denying that Netflix is losing some seriously great television here, and some less great stuff as well (looking at you, Iron Fist), but there’s still plenty to watch on the streaming platform. Netflix's new true crime documentary is taking the internet by storm and the streamer has several new movies and shows to watch this weekend. Plus, the likes of Strangers Things season 4 and Bridgerton season 2 should fill the void left by Daredevil and pals.
It looks like The Punisher could follow Daredevil, with news he may be getting his own Disney Plus show. Oh, and we're curious if you agree on our take on the one thing Netflix gets wrong.
