Why are all the Marvel Netflix shows being cancelled?

If you’re a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then you’ve probably felt excited by how many related TV shows have been released over the past few years. While this is still the case, and most are still widely available, there seems to have been a surge in Marvel TV show cancellations. Some of the most recent announcements include the cancellation of The Punisher and Jessica Jones. The future of new Marvel productions is uncertain, as fans realize that Avenger’s: End Game is coming to cinemas soon, possibly concluding the climactic story-line we’ve all been following for years. So what will the future hold for the Marvel Comic Universe?

Canceled or just finished

There has to be a reason for so many cancellations, as we’ve also seen the end of the critically acclaimed Daredevil series, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and The Defenders. For some TV shows, it might have been less of a cancellation and more of a natural end to the story. The Punisher could probably have lived to see a third season, but the second series ended with a decent rounding-off to the story. Since many viewers were left feeling satisfied with the end result, there was no reason to drag it out into a third season. However, it’s still doubtful anybody would complain about seeing another season of Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle defeating enemies in that frenzied style of his.

What next?

Well, there’s more in the woodwork than you might realize. It’s common knowledge now that Disney owns the Marvel franchise, but it’s less widely known that Disney will soon be releasing its own streaming service called Disney+. This means that the Netflix-Marvel relationship had to end for both their sakes. Forbes reports that Disney will soon be pulling their content from Netflix, so if Netflix was to continue making Marvel content, it would be doing so for a competing streaming service at its own detriment. Sources also suggest that due to Netflix’s success in tailoring its content to its audience using algorithms and statistics, it makes sense to cancel the Marvel shows as they don’t appear to be attracting the viewers they once used to.

Ooh, exciting

According to Den of Geek, Disney has several massive series already in various stages of production such as Loki, Vision & Scarlet Witch, and Falcon & Winter Soldier. These are pretty major considering most of MCU’s TV series haven’t been directly relevant to the movies, apart from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, which is streamed on Amazon Prime anyway. So, it’s not all doom and gloom. If anything, it streamlines almost everything related to Marvel, creating an easier online streaming experience. Unfortunately, it does add yet another service to the subscription list.

It turns out there has been a lot going on behind the scenes, and while some people fear the imminent demise of Marvel TV shows, it seems unlikely that these will stop being produced, with some large productions in the making. Does the production of Loki suggest that he returns in End Game or is it focusing on before that all happened? They have kept the details close to their chests, so we just have to wait and see what unfolds.