Tag: MCU TV

  • Creative Team and Surprising Release Date Revealed for Marvel ‘The Punisher’ Special Presentation

    Creative Team and Surprising Release Date Revealed for Marvel ‘The Punisher’ Special Presentation

    While promoting the upcoming release of Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel Studios’ Head of TV, Streaming, Brad Winderbaum, revealed that Marvel Studios is working with The Punisher star Jon Bernthal on a Special Presentation. Now with the cat out of the bag, the Marvel TV boss has released some more details about the project.

    In an exclusive interview with EW, Winderbaum revealed that Bernthal will co-writer the Special Presentation with Reinaldo Marcus Green, who will also direct it. Additionally, according to THR, the Special Presentation is expected to stream on Disney Plus in 2026.

    It’s like a shotgun blast of a story, but also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story. It’s so exciting,” said Winderbaum of the project.

    Green and Bernthal previously worked together on the six-episode HBO miniseries We Own the Night.

    Bernthal is a generational actor. He’s incredible what he brings to all the roles he plays, but particularly Frank Castle. And he’s a great writer. He knows the character inside and out…. Also, I love Punisher, but I love Jon’s Punisher in particular. The idea that he’s in the MCU and can bring that to the greater universe, especially the more grounded street-level stuff, is a huge opportunity and, as a fan, the greatest thing ever.

    -Brad Winderbaum

    Shortly after the news hit, Bernthal posted a picture of the cover of The Punisher #53, the first of a seven-part arc entitled “The Final Days.” Published in 1991, “The Final Days”, written by Mike Baron, saw Castle tangle with Wilson Fisk.

    The Punisher project will join Werewolf By Night (2022) and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) under the Marvel Studios Special Presentation banner. The two projects–which had runtimes of 55 minutes and 45 minutes, respectively–while standalone, also positioned the characters for further adventures, though Jack and Ted’s excellent adventures have yet to be explored. It’s possible that the new Punisher project could pave the way for Castle’s next appearance, whether that be in a film or in a new ssteeaming season of The Punisher on D+.

    Sources: EW, THR

  • Among Slew of Delays and Cancellations, Two Marvel Television Projects Under Consideration for Second Seasons

    Among Slew of Delays and Cancellations, Two Marvel Television Projects Under Consideration for Second Seasons

    In May 2024, Marvel’s head of streaming, television and animation, Brad Winderbaum, explained that things had changed behind the scenes in the way Marvel Studios developed and released its streaming series. “We were already, as of two years ago, adapting our process from being, you know, fill the service as fast as possible no matter what, to a more considered approach,” Winderbaum said in an interview with Variety. Less than a year later, the results of that “considered approach” are ruffling fans’ feathers.

    Over the past week, it was revealed that a pair of LONG-gestating streaming series, Nova and the Danai Gurira-led Okoye spinoff, were among multiple projects that the studio had either delayed indefinitely or scrapped entirely as Marvel Television pursues a more traditional approach to cheating its series. Now, Winderbaum has given some insight into what considerations are being given to the projects Marvel will move forward with in the future.

    I think it’s ‘linear series potential,’” said Winderbaum, referencing a shift to a far more traditional approach to producing television. “As we develop things for the future, I think they’re going to be designed to be multiple seasons, have more of a pattern, and be able to be released annually.”

    Winderbaum‘s comments come as cameras prepare to roll a second season of Daredevil: Born Again just as the first season launches on D+. His comments also may well explain the delays to projects such as Nova and Strange Academy, which insiders believe the studio will eventually greenlight for production: until the creative teams can outline multiple seasons of the series, the studio may be content to hold off.

    That plan, however, could eventually mean a shortage in content which wouldn’t be ideal even as Disney seeks to reduce the output of content from its major studios. There is good news on that front, though, as Winderbaum reveals that a pair of previously well-received streaming series could be revisited for second seasons. Though nothing is set in stone, both Agatha All Along and Hawkeye are under consideration for future seasons.

    I really like the idea of two shows a year, especially because we are developing more than we make. We used to treat the shows like the features where we’re gonna make a show and that’s it, we’re going to hit a release date, hell or high water. Well, it’s hard to do for a two hour feature, it’s even harder to do for, six, seven, eight, nine hours. So now we have a more traditional approach.

    -Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum

    A show like Agatha, to me, is concept based. Yes, a second season for sure is something that we would want to do, but let’s not rush it. Let’s get the right idea and then make it,” said Winderbaum of another batch of episodes of Agatha All Along.

    Winderbaum’s comments on a potential second season of Agatha All Along are certainly surprising given co-star Patti LuPone‘s comments to the contrary. Even series star Kathryn Hahn, who made it clear she’s not down with playing the character, wasn’t able to confirm whether or not a follow-up season was in store, saying “we’d have to let the powers that be make those decisions.”

    Talk of a potential sophomore season of Hawkeye is a bit less surprising, at least to those who keep tight tabs on such things. Rumblings of a The Raid-inspired Season 2 that would introduce Clint Barton’s brother, Barney, first appeared online in May 2024. Six months later, Marvel insider Daniel Richtman reported that the studio was indeed moving forward with the new season, targeting a Fall 2025 start of production with an eye on another Christmastime release in either 2026 or 2027. While Winderbaum didn’t confirm it, his comments echo Richtman’s report.

    Hawkeye is another one that feels like you can make a second season of that show because it’s Christmas, because it’s Clint and Kate,” said Winderbaum. “You can kind of revisit it whenever, and we’re looking for opportunities to do that.” And with a shortage of projects known to be in the queue, the studio may be reaching into its quiver for Season 2 sooner rather than later.

    Source: EW

  • New Details Emerge about Marvel Television’s Newly Delayed Streaming Series

    New Details Emerge about Marvel Television’s Newly Delayed Streaming Series

    Just a couple of months ago, Marvel Studios seemed as though it was ready to finally launch the Human Rocket into the MCU. After being originally developed as a film by Moon Knight writer Sabir Pirzada in 2022, Nova was put on the back burner by the studio before being repackaged as a streaming series. With a new course charted for Richard Rider’s long-awaited debut, Marvel Television brought veteran showrunner Ed Bernero in to get the series ready for a reported late-2025 start of production.

    Now, even as rumors fly around actors Marvel may be considering for the role of Richard Rider, Nova is once again grounded. According to Deadline, Marvel Television has paused the development of multiple streaming series, including Nova.

    Though studio representatives are quick to point out that the series was never greenlit, Marvel TV boss Brad Winderbaum confirmed the project was moving forward in September 2024, calling it “an amazing ensemble piece.”

    To that end, new details about Nova were shared by insider Daniel Richtman, who claimed that the series would see Rider rebuilding the Nova Corps after Thanos’ decimated it prior to the events of Avengers: Infinity War. Richtman also revealed that Rider’s team, the ensemble referenced by Winderbaum, would be made up of Sam Alexander and a handful of original characters created for the D+ series.

    Interestingly, both Deadline and studio insider Jeff Sneider were bullish on Nova still making it to the screen, claiming that the series is simply delayed while the studio revamps its process.

    Sources: Deadline, X

  • Upcoming Marvel Studios Series Already Greenlit for Record Run

    Upcoming Marvel Studios Series Already Greenlit for Record Run

    After 17 years with the company, it would be right to say that Marvel Studios Head of Streaming, Television and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, has seen it all. After working as an assistant to Louis D’Esposito on 2008’s Iron Man, Winderbaum climbed company ladder and is now one of the most influential voices working behind the scenes at Marvel. Given the scope of that influence, when Winderbaum feels strongly about the direction of a project, it’s good news for that project.

    In the case of Marvel Animation’s upcoming streaming series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which debuts on January 29th, Winderbaum‘s positivity about the project seems to have it poised to make a record-breaking run on Disney Plus.

    Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames) in Marvel Animation’s YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

    What Jeff is building brick by brick in this show is starting to pay off. You feel it in season 1. You grow connected to these characters so when everything starts to lock into place and starts to pay off by the end of the season, I feel it in my soul. It just gets deeper and deeper in subsequent seasons.

    -Brad Winderbaum
    In an interview with The Movie Podcast, Winderbaum not only confirmed that the previously announced second season of the series is already deep into development but also that a third season has already been given the go-ahead.

    We’re greenlit for season three so in a couple of weeks, I’m going to hear [Jeff Trammell ‘s] pitch for the third season of this show,” said Winderbaum.

    Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames) in Marvel Animation’s YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

    With that, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man joins Marvel Animation’s What If…? and X-Men ’97 as the only Marvel Studios’ streaming series to find life beyond a second season. Like X-Men ’97, the first season Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man consists of 10 episodes which means, should subsequent seasons also receive 10-episode orders, it looks to be on track to be the first streaming series to run for at least 30 episodes, especially with development on X-Men ’97 slowing down.

    Early reactions to the new animated series have been overwhelmingly positive and Winderbaum seems to share that enthusiasm. “I’ve fallen so head over heels in love with these characters,” he said before updating the progress being made on Season 2. “By the way, I’ve now read all the scripts for season 2. We’re halfway through the animatics.” Though the animation process is a long one, Winderbaum‘s comments could point to a second season streaming on Disney Plus at some point in 2026.

    Source: The Movie Podcast

  • Newly Greenlit Marvel Television Series May Feature a Surprising Star

    Newly Greenlit Marvel Television Series May Feature a Surprising Star

    Marvel Studios may not continue releasing live-action streaming projects at the same rate they will in 2025, but that doesn’t mean they’ve slowed down the development process. Outside of Novawhich was confirmed by Marvel Television’s head honcho, Brad  Winderbaum, to be in development–the studio has been tight-lipped about which projects are in the works. Rumors and reports persist that Champions, which will bring together a new generation of heroes led by Kamala Khan and Kate Bishop, and Strange Academy, a Harry Potter-esque series featuring young magic users, are priorities for the studio despite lack of official word from anyone at Marvel.

    We have a new system behind-the-scenes at Marvel Studios. We’re more like a traditional studio now. We’re developing more than we actually will produce.

    -Brad Winderbaum

    In the case of Strange Academy, Marvel Studios insider Daniel Richtman recently reported that Winderbaum and his team had given the project the green light which could mean work on the series could get underway this year. Now, another insider has come forward with some information that calls to mind a two-year old rumor about the series.

    According to social media scooper My Time To Shine Hello, Wong, the MCU’s current Sorcerer Supreme, will serve as the star of Strange Academy. Additionally, Benedict Cumberbatch will reportedly have a “small role” in the series, if he appears at all.

    Though the Sorcerer Supreme has proven himself, having Benedict Wong as the lead would certainly seem to indicate that the studio sees Strange Academy as somewhat of a light-hearted adventure. Despite facing off with the Scarlet Witch and her demonic minions in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wong has far more often served as comedic relief. And while the series would feature a fairly large cast of kids and offer the potential for cameos from all types of MCU magic users, it could also allow for the return of the vacuous Madisynn King, Wong’s bestie last seen in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

    Created by Skottie Young and Humberto Ramos, Strange Academy was first published by Marvel Comics in 2020 and focused on a new generation of magic users being trained in the mystic arts at a Hogwarts-esque school opened by Stephen Strange. Classes at Strange Academy were led by an array of Marvel mages including Doctor Voodoo, Wanda Maximoff, Wong, Magik and, yes, Agatha Harkness and covered a range of topics from astral projections to interdimensional geography to xenoanatomy.

  • The ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Trailer Contains the MCU’s First ‘Luke Cage’s Reference

    The ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Trailer Contains the MCU’s First ‘Luke Cage’s Reference

    The decision by Marvel Studios to canonize Netflix’s Daredevil series as part of the creative overhaul on Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again meant that the adventures of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen weren’t the only stories retconned into MCU continuity. Indeed all of Netflix’s series made the jump because of the interconnected nature of their stories and the shared experiences of the title characters in The Defenders. So while Matt Murdock, Wilson Fisk, Frank Castle, Benjamin Pointdexter and others will share the screen again in Daredevil: Born Again, Jessica Jones, Colleen Wing, Danny Rand, Misty Knight and Luke Cage are out and about somewhere in New York City. And while fans of those characters wait to learn what’s next for them, the first trailer for the new series acknowledges another one of the Defenders for the first time.

    As can be seen around 28 seconds into the trailer, during a New Year’s Eve gathering in Times Square in which Wilson Fisk is seen giving a speech, one of the billboards just above the advertisement for Rogers: The Musical serves as an advertisement for Harlem’s Paradise.

    Founded in the 1960s by Buggy Stokes and Quincy McIver, Harlem’s Paradise served as headquarters for the Stokes Crime Family and was a key location in both seasons of Luke Cage. As of the series finale, ownership of the club had been passed on to Cage following the death of Mariah Dillard.

    Harlem’s Paradise is the place where hip-hop, funk, jazz & rock and roll all come back to the mothership. It’s a party, y’all.

    Though the billboard is advertising the club through a quote, the lettering on the sign is unclear. However, the nod to the location is an easy way to incorporate one of the key settings of the Defenders-verse into the MCU without making any major changes to the world previously created or painting themselves into a corner.

    Daredevil: Born Again debuts on Disney Plus on March 4th.

  • The Ten Rings Set to Return in a Surprising Marvel Project

    The Ten Rings Set to Return in a Surprising Marvel Project

    Though the true nature of the organization wasn’t revealed until 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Xu Wenu’s surreptitious terrorist organization, The Ten Rings, has been causing chaos in the MCU since its inception. If not for the actions of one cell of The Ten Rings that attacked a U.S. military convoy in Afghanistan, Tony Stark would never have become Iron Man in the MCU’s Sacred Timeline.

    Of course, it was eventually revealed that the leader of that cell, Raza Hamidmi al-Wazar, had been working with Obadiah Stane, first to buy Stark Industries weapons and then to kidnap Tony. After recovering pieces of Stark’s original Iron Man armor from the desert, al-Wazar believed he had struck a deal with Stane that would eventually provide the Ten Rings with an army of armored soldiers. Instead, Stane took the armor, which eventually became the Iron Monger suit, and killed al-Wazar and his men.

    While that certainly seemed to be the end for the MCU’s first baddie, it seems there’s more for the Phase 1 villain to do after all. According to multiple trade reports, Faran Tahir, who portrayed al-Wazar in 2008’s Iron Man, will return to the role in Marvel Television’s untitled D+ Vision series.

    Tahir’s return certainly Adds another layer of intrigue to the already mysterious Vision series. The Paul Bettany-led series, which was originally developed by WandaVision and Agatha All Along creator Jac Schaeffer before being reworked by Terry Matalas, is expected to follow the White Vision as he attempts to relearn his own tragic history.

    James Spader signed on to reprise his role as Vision’s “father”, the rogue AI Ultron, and Todd Stashwick joined the project in September as a mysterious assassin. As murky as those two castings made the picture of what the plot of the Vision series could entail, bringing back a long-dead baddie muddies the waters even further. Given Vision’s history is thoroughly entangled with Tony Stark’s, it’s entirely possible Tahir’s al-Wazar could be seen in flashbacks; however, since the character’s death was only assumed, it’s possible he could have survived Stane’s firing squad and find himself somehow mixed up with Ultron. Whatever the case, al-Wazar will now be operating in a world where Xu Wenwu has died and his daughter, Xu Xialing, is now the head of her father’s empire. Perhaps the next chapter in her story will be tied somehow to the events of the Vision series.

    Marvel Television’s untitled Vision series begins filming soon and is expected to stream on Disney Plus in 2026.

    Source: Deadline

  • The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    Six years after being canceled by Netflix, Daredevil will be born again on Disney Plus beginning March 4th. After initially planning to make Daredevil: Born Again a “whole new deal” with no connection to the three seasons that streamed on Netflix between 2015 and 2018, Marvel Studios switched gears, reconning the events and characters of the gritty drama into the MCU as part of a creative retooling led by showrunner Dario Scardapane and the directing duo of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead.

    During our restart of all the creative on Daredevil: Born Again, all the creatives got together and said, “Look, this is how we’ve got to do it now.” So we are for sure only speaking about it in terms of being directly connected to the original Daredevil, and that’s a great thing. It brings in a lot of cool stories and all the collateral story that happened in those original three seasons. So we now get to start this Born Again situation with all of that history behind us and the outcome of all that history. So we’re all talking about Daredevil: Born Again in those terms now.

    -Vincent D’Onofrio

    While that decision reportedly resulted in very positive changes to the quality of Daredevil: Born Again, it also greatly added to the required reading fans might choose to do if they’re not intimately familiar with Daredevil and its cast of characters. And if 39 hour-long episodes of that series aren’t enough, an important chapter in Matt Murdock ‘s Netflix story was told in The Defenders and Jon Bernthal‘s Frank Castle, who debuted in Daredevil Season 2 before starting in two seasons of The Punisher, will also be featured in Daredevil: Born Again...and that’s just the Netflix stuff!

    Though it might seem overwhelming, it’s only because it truly is. However, as you’ve no doubt come to expect, we’ve got you covered with an incredibly detailed Ultimate List of What to Watch Before Daredevil: Born Again!

    Tier One

    Preparing yourself for Daredevil: Born Again will be no small task. With the decision to canonize the entirety of Netflix’s Defenders-verse series, the required reading for Daredevil: Born Again will take just under 2 days worth of time…you better get started.

    Daredevil Season, 1 (2015)

    🍅 99%

    Reliving the Gritty Streets: Recapping ‘Daredevil’ Season 1

    Netflix’s 2013 deal with Marvel Television changed the landscape of comic book content. In 2015, Daredevil blazed a bloody path into homes, delivering an unprecedented brand of superhero TV. Charlie Cox cemented himself as THE Matt Murdock/Daredevil and found an incredible equal and opposite force of nature in Vincent D’Onofrio‘s unforgettable turn as Wilson Fisk. Though 13 hours of any season of television will have its faults, Season 1 of Daredevil remains the highpoint of Marvel TV entertainment 10 years later.

    This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel’s brand, content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. This serialized epic expands the narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.

    -Alan Fine, President of Marvel Entertainment, 2013

    Marvel Studios’ decision to rework Daredevil: Born Again into essentially a fourth season of Daredevil means that all the foundation built in Season 1, for both Daredevil and Kingpin, will indeed matter to full enjoy the new season. Matt’s relationships with Karen and Foggy and Wilson’s relationship with Vanessa will be key elements in the next arcs for each of them.

    Daredevil Season, 2 (2016)

    🍅 81%

    Shadows of Justice and Vengeance: Recapping Daredevil Season 2

    Though it was not as highly regarded as Season 1, the second season of Daredevil is a must watch for fans as they prepare for Daredevil: Born Again. Not only does it introduce Frank Castle into Hell’s Kitchen, but Season 2 also delivers some key Daredevil mythology by exploring the Hand and Matt’s relationship with Elektra.

    If possible, Season 2 may be more violent than its predecessor, thanks almost entirely to Jon Bernthal‘s murderous Castle. It’s also likely that Frank’s relationship with Karen Page, the exploration of which extended into The Punisher, will factor into Daredevil: Born Again.

    The Defenders (2017)

    🍅 78%

    Netflix’s crossover event brought together the stars of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist but ultimately fell a little flat. It feels a lot more like another season of Daredevil and does some real heavy lifting for Season 3.

    Daredevil, Season 3 (2018)

    🍅 97%

    Redemption, Resurgence, and the Shadow of the Devil: Recapping Daredevil Season 3

    After sidelining Fisk for a good portion of Season 2, the third and final season brings him back into the spotlight and face-to-face with Matt. It also introduces Wilson Bethel‘s Bullseye who joined the cast of Daredevil: Born Again and looks to be even more dangerous this time around.

    Tier Two

    These three projects should be the mustard and relish to your Daredevil hot dog. You don’t need to watch any of these to consume Daredevil: Born Again; however, you’ll find yourself enjoying it more thanks to the extra boost.

    The Punisher, Season 1 (2017)

    A Gritty Tale of Vengeance, Crime, and Redemption: Recapping The Punisher Season 1

    🍅 68%

    The Punisher, Season 2 (2019)

    🍅 61%

    A Riveting Saga of Revenge, Redemption, and Resilience: Recapping The Punisher Season 2

    Unfortunately, neither season of The Punisher is must see TV, not for enjoying Daredevil: Born Again or even in general terms. It’s unclear just how large of a role Frank Castle is set to play in the news series, especially after the creative overhaul, but it’s definitely more than a cameo and he WILL be working with “Red” for at least the better part of one episode. If you’ve never seen the Netflix series and want a little background on this particular version of The Punisher, knock yourself out and squeeze in 26 hours of madness; if not, you’ll still know everything you really need to know from watching Daredevil and from exposition in Daredevil: Born Again.

    Hawkeye (2021)

    🍅 92%

    If Daredevil: Born Again was JUST a Daredevil show, Hawkeye would not be on the list; however, Wilson Fisk’s story is just as much a part of the MCU’s Daredevil lore as Matt Murdock’s and a chapter of it is told here. If you’re short on time, you can watch Episodes 5 and 6, which are the only two in which Fisk physically appears, but Hawkeye is good enough that it’s worth the watch if you have the time.

    Echo (2024)

    🍅 70%

    Though Fisk is a major player in Echo, the project’s identity as a Marvel Spotlight series should mean that any ground covered in it that’s relevant to Daredevil: Born Again will likely be explained within the framework of the new series.

    No. I don’t think that she would like that idea. I think it’s a terrible idea. He’s such a dirty crook. He’s got a lot of things going on. I don’t think him running for a position of political power would be a good idea.

    -Alaqua Cox

    While Fisk does play a major role in the body of the series, it’s his appearance in a credit scenes that ties directly to Daredevil: Born Again. And though it could be argued that alone should make Echo a Tier One project, it’s probably going to be covered in some sort of pre-Episode 1 highlight reel.

    Tier Three

    Here only for those of you who want to be fully prepared for anything that could happen in Daredevil: Born Again and to be able to say you’ve watched every MCU-set project in which Daredevil has appeared, two Tier Three projects are just fun visits with an otherwise very serious character while another will lay the foundation for a character appearance.

    Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

    🍅 93%

    He’s a really good lawyer.

    As revealed by our own Charles Villanueva in 2020, Cox made the jump into the MCU in Spider-Man: No Way Home. While it was only a cameo, it generated a lot of excitement and was the first step toward fully integrating Daredevil into the MCU. While Spidey and other NYC heroes will be mentioned during Daredevil: Born Again, it’s only worth remembering that the Murdock served as Peter’s legal counsel. Since Doctor Strange’s spell would ensure that he does not know who Peter Parker is, this is essentially a dead end.

    Ms. Marvel (2022)

    🍅 98%

    Though the full extent of his role in the series is not clear, promotional materials for the series have revealed that Kamala Khan’s father, Yusuf, will appear in Daredevil: Born Again. Ms. Marvel is one of Marvel Studios’ best streaming efforts so if you haven’t seen it in a while—or at all–give it a look.

    She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)

    🍅 79%

    Episodes 8 and 9 of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law marked the MCU debut of Daredevil. While some fans bristled at the more carefree vibe Cox brought to the role in his appearance, it certainly fit the tone of the series, as head writer Jessica Gao explained.They get to take a little bit of a comedy vacation,” said Gao of guest starring heroes like Cox’s Man Without Fear. “Of course, after our show, they get to go back to save the world, saving the universe, very serious, intense story…

    I’ve made it no secret that I’m a huge fan of Tatiana’s and the fun we had on She-Hulk was some of the best fun I’ve had as that character. I thought she was amazing as Jennifer Walters and I would be a huge… certainly an advocate of her showing up in our show if she’s free and available and willing and all of those things. So I would love for that to happen. I have no idea if that is possible.

    -Charlie Cox

    While Cox admittedly had a blast portraying a different side of the character and expressed a desire to work with She-Hulk star Tatiana Maslany again, it’s unlikely that his appearance on the show will impact Daredevil: Born Again in any significant way.

    About Daredevil: Born Again

    Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again stars Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Zabryna Guevara, Nikki James, Genneya Walton, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Michael Gandolfini, with Ayelet Zurer and Jon Bernthal.

    In Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), a blind lawyer with heightened abilities is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.

    -Official synopsis for Daredevil: Born Again

    Dario Scardapane is showrunner. Episodes are directed by Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Michael Cuesta, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, and David Boyd; and executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Sana Amanat, Chris Gary, Dario Scardapane, Chris Ord & Matt Corman, and Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead.

    Daredevil: Born Again launches on Disney+ on March 4, 2025.

  • Marvel Has Reportedly Locked In the Core Cast of ‘Champions’

    Marvel Has Reportedly Locked In the Core Cast of ‘Champions’

    As 2025 gets underway and Marvel Studios looks to begin production on two major pieces of the final phase of the Multiverse Saga in Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man 4, Kevin Feige and the Parliament must also continue to keep an eye on the future of the franchise. Though nobody is quite certain just what to expect from Avengers: Secret Wars in terms of the impact it will have on whatever the next Marvel saga is, rumors and reports of projects in development do provide some pieces of the puzzle.

    With Michael Lesslie hard at work on a script for the first Marvel Studios-produced X-Men film, it is safe to say the next saga will have its fair share of mutant heroes and villains. And while most of the focus might fall on whatever version of Charles Xavier’s uncanny team of heroes make their way into the MCU, another project featuring the MCU’s first mutant also looks to be gaining traction.

    According to Marvel insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel Studios’ D+ streaming series, Champions, is close to landing a showrunner and has begun locking in key cast members. Richtman reports that in addition to Iman Vellani and Hailee Steinfeld, who appeared together in a credit scene for The Marvels meant to tease Champions, Joe Locke, Dominique Thorne, Kathryn Newton and Xochitl Gomez have also joined the project. Though the report indicates that those six actors are the series’ leads, it does not indicate that other young heroes won’t join the project in supporting roles.

    Previously, Richtman reported that the search for a showrunner had begun and that the studio had an eye on beginning production on Champions in 2026 to have it ready for a post-Secret Wars release on D+. Given the studio’s desire to move to only two streaming projects per year, Champions likely would not be released until the second half of 2027 or even 2028. By that time, many of the actors playing the heroes would be closing in on turning 30 years old. That reportedly played a part in the decision to retitle the project, originally being developed as Young Avengers.

  • Marvel TV Boss Addresses the Canonicity of Marvel’s ABC Shows

    Marvel TV Boss Addresses the Canonicity of Marvel’s ABC Shows

    It’s all connected. For a decade, that tagline defined the MCU to the extent that it used as the subtitle for the first Marvel Cinema Universe Guidebook. Fans fawned over every fragment of connectivity, theorizing which character might show up where and how each post-credit scene might set up the next big thing. However, as Marvel Studios moved into the Multiverse Saga and a new era of streaming their own series on Disney Plus, comfort turned into confusion with the rapid expansion of projects and characters.

    In an effort to combat the confusion, Marvel Studios began rebranding its streaming projects. Beginning with a pair of special presentations (Werewolf By Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special), the studio quietly moved from an era of “required reading” and toward a choose your own adventure model. Projects created under the Marvel Spotlight banner, such as Echo, were devised in order to ensure that “viewers don’t have to watch any other Marvel series to understand the plot.” Further rebranding of projects under newly formed Marvel Television or Marvel Animation banners were an effort by the studio to “signal to the general audience that we’re creating a lot of options, and you can follow your tastes within this brand,” cementing a less connected, more diacritical experience in which “the characters still live and breathe in the same universe, but the interconnectivity is not so rigid that you need to watch Project A to understand Project B,” according to Marvel TV head honcho Brad Winderbaum.

    There was a lot of pressure post-Avengers: Endgame on the public to feel obligated to watch absolutely everything in order to watch anything. Part of the rebranding was a signal to the general audience that we’re creating a lot of options, and you can follow your tastes within this brand. Some will be more comedic, some will be more dramatic, some will be animated, some will be live-action. Marvel is more than just one thing — it is actually many different genres that just happened to coexist in a single narrative.

    Marvel’s head of streaming, television and animation, Brad Winderbaum, on the studio’s rebranding, May 2024

    One of Marvel Television’s most anticipated upcoming projects, Daredevil: Born Again, may provide the first real opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the rebranding. Though the events of the news series will spin out of the events of the Netflix Marvel series from the mid-2010s,baudiences should not need to watch the 39-hour-ish long episodes of Netflix’s Daredevil in order to enjoy the upcoming Disney Plus streaming series, Daredevil: Born Again, even though all of Netflix’s Marvel series were recently retconned as Sacred Timeline canon.

    Now that some time has passed, now that we actually see how well-integrated the stories are, I personally, Brad Winderbaum, will confidently say that they are part of the Sacred Timeline.

    -Brad Winderbaum

    And while Winderbaum gave his stamp of approval to the canonicity of the Netflix series, he dodged, ducked, dipped, dove and dodged the issue of another fan-favorite series from the mid-2010s: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. “I want to go down this road with you, you know I do, but we’re just gonna take a deep breath for a second,” said Winderbaum in an August 2024 interview with Screen Rant. Hardly a strong show of support for Phil Coulson and crew.

    As one might expect, Winderbaum‘s comments weren’t warmly received by AoS fans; however, given his position at Marvel, he would certainly be the one to know…and four months later, it seems nothing has changed.

    In a new interview with Screen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeier, Winderbaum was pressed once more about the canonicity of Marvel TV’s  ABC shows and he hasn’t budged on his stance. When asked by Deckelmeier if Marvel TV’s Agent Carter, which ran for two seasons on ABC, was considered MCU canon, not only did Winderbaum refuse to confirm that it was but he also lumped it in with all of Marvel’s ABC shows.

    Well, I’ll tell you this, and put it to you like this. It’s exciting for me to think about how to square those ABC shows with the canon,” said Winderbaum, indicating that while he has thought about how to canonize Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter and Inhumans, he hasn’t figured out how to do so just yet.”That, to me, if you know me and the way my brain works, that is fun territory to imagine,” confirming that for now, imagination is the only place in which those series should be considered canon.

    While that’s made quite clear on Disney Plus, where those shows, along with a few others, can be found in an “Agents and Inhumans” category rather than in the “Complete MCU Timeline” category, fans of the series still find plenty of ways to make the events of the shows tie into the ongoing story of MCU. And at the end of the day, that’s just fine and what being a fan is all about.

    Source: Screen Rant