MCU: Why Netflix's Marvel Experiment Failed

by James Hunt

1. Disney Plus

Disney Plus
Disney

Netflix's Marvel shows may have been waning for some time - the few available metrics, such as the data obtained by Screen Rant here, point to a steady and then sharper decline for a couple of years - but the cancellations have coincided with the plans being unveiled for Disney Plus.

Disney's own streaming service, it's going to include MCU TV shows, and is being seen as a direct competitor to Netflix. Even if Netflix aren't worried about the competition - and they've got such a head start that they needn't be - it doesn't make too much sense for them to keep on producing Marvel series which will help the company they're now in competition with. They may never officially state that as the reasoning, but with Disney Plus launching late-2019, it's likely Netflix will have completely cleared its decks of Marvel TV shows by then (i.e. cancelled Jessica Jones and The Punisher). They may have cancelled some of the Marvel shows even if Disney Plus wasn't launching, but this has undoubtedly expedited proceedings.

What do you think went wrong with Netflix's Marvel Universe? Let us know down in the comments.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.