If you thought 2017 was shaping up to be a landmark year for Marvel television – specifically its Netflix division of costumed crusaders – then just wait until 2018.
Not unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Guardians 2, Homecoming, Ragnarok), this year looks set to herald the arrival of three Marvel/Netflix series in the form of Iron Fist, The Defenders and The Punisher, which is reportedly being readied for a November premiere on the online streaming service. That template of three shows per annum will stretch into 2018, too, if a new report from Entertainment Weekly is anything to go by.
First spotted by CBM, EW’s latest TV guide suggests that Marvel is prepping new seasons of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage for 2018, with each series occupying three primary windows on the calendar: March, August, and November. Keep in mind that Marvel is yet to nail down anything official with regards to those three solo series in question, but with Jessica Jones already shooting its second seasons on the streets of New York City – not to mention the momentum building behind Luke Cage season 2 – it’s not too difficult to foresee a scenario in which Marvel and Netflix launch three all-new seasons come 2018. The fourth and final Defender, Iron Fist, wasn’t mentioned in EW’s report, but those holding out for an announcement shouldn’t have to wait too much longer before the future of Danny Rand is revealed. According to Finn Jones, at least.
Upping the output from two to three shows per year was arguably inevitable, as Marvel and Netflix’s roster of costumed crusaders – and in the case of Frank Castle, hardened vigilantes – continues to grow and expand at a breathless pace. One need only look to the excitement generated by The Defenders for evidence of that, and it’ll be fascinating to gauge how the Marvel team-up series affects each individual standalone show moving forward.
For instance, will they witness a notable boon in viewership? Similar to how The Avengers galvanized the MCU back in 2012? We’ll find out when all eight episodes of The Defenders arrive on August 18th.
