Well, that was fast. Last week, we brought you news that Marvel would be teaming up with Netflix to develop four thirteen-episode limited series based on the superheroes Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage, which would lead into in a Netflix mini-series adaptation of The Defenders. Now, the first name attached to this hugely ambitious project has been revealed. Drew Goddard, the director of acclaimed meta-horror comedy The Cabin in the Woods, is in final negotiations to write the Daredevil series for Netflix.
Snagging Goddard to work on Daredevil makes a lot of sense from a storytelling perspective. The popular writer-producer frequently joins forces with The Avengers director Joss Whedon; they’ve both worked on geek royalty series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and they co-wrote the script for The Cabin in the Woods. With Whedon still working away over in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, handing a Marvel TV gig to one of his closest collaborators seems like a very shrewd move.
Goddard has also previously indicated an interest in the Daredevil character. During an interview with Collider, he revealed his fanboy roots, stating:
You’re talking to a guy who had quotes from Daredevil painted on his wall while growing up. Even when I was 18, I still had the blood red door with the, ‘I have shown him that a man without hope is a man without fear.’ That was what I loved and so it’s the sort of thing that if we can find the right project, I would love to do it.
Though Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is still far from perfect over on ABC, I have faith that Netflix will commit to making compelling, high-quality shows out of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage. With original series like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, the online streaming giant has demonstrated a devotion to high-caliber programming on par with HBO and AMC, and Netflix undeniably has a lot riding on its experiment with Marvel. Securing Goddard for Daredevil is certainly a step in the right direction.
Are you excited to see TV versions of these Marvel characters? Is Goddard the right choice to bring Daredevil to the small screen? Sound off in the comments section!
Daredevil is scheduled to air on Netflix sometime in 2015, laying the groundwork for the other planned superhero series.