Now that Luke Cage and Marvel’s Iron Fist are no longer with us, Netflix subscribers have been starting to worry about the future – or lack thereof – of Daredevil.
Up to this point, the Powers That Be have been oddly quiet about what the future holds for Matt Murdock, and that’s despite a spectacular third season. We know that series showrunner Erik Oleson has already pitched his vision for the next run though, which would likely revolve around the Man Without Fear and his mission to take down a fully-costumed Bullseye.
FBI agent Ben Poindexter was one of the best parts of Daredevil season 3, even forging an unlikely alliance with Wilson Fisk once the Kingpin’s web of corruption began to consume Hell’s Kitchen. As such, seeing him and Matt go at it over a full season would definitely make for some compelling television, but it seems that it just wasn’t meant to be, as Netflix has now cancelled the show.
In some rather shocking news (although, at this point, should we even be that surprised?), the streaming giant announced that Daredevil will not return for a fourth season.
“Marvel’s Daredevil will not return for a fourth season on Netflix,” the company said in a statement to Deadline. “We are tremendously proud of the show’s last and final season and although it’s painful for the fans, we feel it best to close this chapter on a high note. We’re thankful to showrunner Erik Oleson, the show’s writers, stellar crew and incredible cast including Charlie Cox as Daredevil himself, and we’re grateful to the fans who have supported the show over the years. While the series on Netflix has ended, the three existing seasons will remain on the service for years to come, while the Daredevil character will live on in future projects for Marvel.”
As for the reasons behind the cancellation, well, we know that viewership for Marvel’s suite of Netflix shows has been down across the board – everyone from The Punisher to Jessica Jones have been affected – though Deadline believes the issues run deeper than that. In their report, the outlet notes that there are “strained relations between Netflix and Marvel TV,” which stem from arguments over showrunners, season orders and more.
It’s all led to three of the Marvel series being given the axe and honestly, we can’t imagine the remaining shows will last much longer. It’s clear that Netflix is looking to cut ties with the House of Ideas and though we already know that at least one more season of both The Punisher and Jessica Jones are en route, things will probably come to an end after that.
And as for Daredevil? Well, Netflix has said that the “character will still live on in future projects for Marvel,” so it at least sounds like the studio will find a way to continue the story of Matt Murdock. Perhaps on Disney’s upcoming streaming service? Time will tell, but we’ll keep you posted once we learn more.
