With the cancellation of the Marvel shows over at Netflix, it’s no surprise that the streaming service is looking for replacement series. Meanwhile, Disney Plus is launching its own line of television shows based in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
However, the characters from the Netflix series are rumored to be reappearing in the MCU in the future. While undeniably an exciting prospect, is that really the best move for Disney and Marvel? Here are 5 reasons Disney Plus should bring back Netflix’s Marvel Heroes, along with 5 in favor of leaving these characters in the past.
MOVE ON: ROOM FOR NEW HEROES
If the Netflix heroes aren’t brought in, that gives Disney plenty of time to completely nail the new heroes that are entering the MCU. There’s a huge variety of characters who are about to get even more popular thanks to the series and the movies.
Marvel wouldn’t want characters like She-Hulk becoming overshadowed by the arrival of Jessica Jones and they certainly wouldn’t want Daredevil stealing the limelight from Moon Knight. Therefore it makes sense to expand the hero roster further and not prioritize Netflix’s characters.
BRING BACK: EXCELLENT CAST
The Netflix casting agents managed to cast the perfect actors for most of its heroes. Be it Misty Knight or Luke Cage, each cast member fits their character perfectly. It’s difficult to imagine anyone else taking on these roles.
That’s the problem, any re-casts could cause a backlash and some of these heroes are too perfect to simply ignore. The Punisher we got from Netflix is exactly what the character should be, so it would be a shame to ignore some great performances.
MOVE ON: NEW INTERPRETATIONS
If the company decided to completely part ways with these versions of the characters, they could still be brought back further down the line with someone else working creatively on them. This would allow for completely different interpretations.
There are certainly some characters that could do with a re-imagining. Iron Fist isn’t perfect and Luke Cage’s ended on a rather strange note. A fresh start could lead to these Marvel heroes being taken in some truly interesting directions.
BRING BACK: MORE POTENTIAL
Starting from scratch is a lot of work and there’s no way to tell how audiences will react to the newer versions of the characters. Therefore, there’s actually a lot more financial and creative potential in keeping what has come before.
There’s already a foundation to build on, which is invaluable in this situation. There are plenty of opportunities to insert these characters elsewhere and have them contribute to the larger universe in meaningful ways.
MOVE ON: BAD SERIES
It’s fair to say that there have been a few hiccups in terms of the larger MCU. A couple of Netflix’s shows are an example of this. While the overall quality of the shows is pretty great, there were a few flaws that could be forgotten about.
If Disney moved on, these less than great episodes or series would be left to history, so they could rebuild with something that is far better in quality. This could give the characters a better long term potential than they may currently have.
BRING BACK: INTERESTING CROSSOVERS
The benefit of bringing back these established characters is to have some interesting crossovers with other Marvel heroes. This would make the universe feel far more connected while also serving as a great piece of fan service.
There’s a lot of crossovers that fans would like to see, although the man without fear and Spider-Man seem to be at the top of most people’s list. It would be a huge pull for another film featuring the web-head if Daredevil was his new mentor.
MOVE ON: MCU CONNECTIONS
Everyone knows the MCU is a widely connected universe with a lot of crossover characters, brands, companies, and even weapons. While it certainly isn’t perfect, there’s enough here to make it feel like these people live in the same place.
However, moving away from the Netflix series will allow this universe to feel much more interconnected and consistent. The fact is, Netflix’s shows and the MCU were never too concerned with continuity, with a number of cast members being re-used and some timeline issues being present. The Netflix series always did their own thing, paying little attention to the happenings in the MCU.
BRING BACK: SATISFYING CONCLUSIONS
The shows came to a conclusion, of sorts, but this was clearly not the place the showrunners wanted them to end. There were a number of unresolved plot points and characters that didn’t receive the full arc that they were supposed to.
By bringing these characters into Disney Plus, they could continue their stories without having to produce hours upon hours of fresh content. Their narratives could play out in other people’s tales, making everything feel a lot more fleshed out.
MOVE ON: CONFUSING AUDIENCES
With the Marvel franchise continuing to grow, it could be difficult to keep track of everything that is happening. That may get more confusing if the Netflix shows get added to the lineup as there will be so much content to keep up with.
Not only that, for those who didn’t watch the series or weren’t aware of them, they will be confused as to where these characters have come from. Mainstream audiences especially will be mythed as to why Colleen Wing just fought Shang-Chi.
BRING BACK: SUPERHERO COMPLETION
There’s something missing from the Netflix series that can be achieved as part of the larger MCU. The journey to becoming a proper hero wasn’t quite completed for any of these characters. They did not receive proper suits (aside from Daredevil) and the entire Defenders team never reunited following Netflix’s crossover season.
There needs to be something more official about these characters’ superhero statuses in New York. If they were brought back, the Defenders could reform, costume up, and establish themselves as one of Marvel’s premium teams, as they should be.
