The Incredible Hulk, AKA Jessica Jones and Cloak and Dagger projects are likely to to make it to television – that is, if you believe ABC Entertainment President, Paul Lee.
Lee recently spoke on using Marvel’s assets, via ABC’s parent company Disney, to capitalize on audiences’ infatuation with superheroes:
“I’m thrilled we have Marvel within our family, it’s a superb opportunity for us… We would love to make a Marvel franchise work on the network.”
All three potential series are in the early stages of development. Hulk will be the most recognizable to TV and movie fans, owing to the 1970s TV show and big-budget movies in 2003 and 2008. Jessica Jones is a lesser-known Marvel superhero (though she runs in circles with the likes of The Avengers) who has given up capes and cowls for a job as a private detective. Cloak and Dagger follows a young Manhattan man and woman with dark/light-themed powers.
Very little information is available about the television adaptations the three comic series. While Lee didn’t give up any more details than are already available, he did take a moment to hype the off-camera talent already working on Hulk and Jessica Jones.
“If you’re going to bring back a franchise, it’s easier to launch a well-known franchise, but what really distinguishes these are the showrunners — we have A-list showrunners.”
Guillermo Del Toro, a celebrated director and producer, and the driving force behind two Hellboy movies, is involved with Hulk in some capacity. He’s sharing writing duties on the pilot with David Eick (Battlestar Galactica) and Del Toro said that he’d like to direct the pilot if his schedule permits. The prospect of Del Toro’s unique vision (on display in such off-kilter sci-fi films as Pan’s Labyrinth) combined with Eick’s world-building has fans eagerly anticipating the big green guy’s return.
Jessica Jones is being written by Melissa Rosenberg, who wrote the movie adaptation of Twilight and has served as an executive producer on Showtime’s Dexter. Marvel fans may balk at her experience with teen vampires, but Dexter‘s themes of ultra-violent vigilantism and secret identities have always felt very much like a more realistic take on Batman to me. There’s almost no information available on Cloak and Dagger‘s status, which means that, like the other two projects, it’s a long way from making it to pilot-form.
Lee was also quick to open the door for other comic book adaptations, saying: “They probably won’t be the only two Marvel things we do.” While he neglected to talk about Cloak and Dagger, other Marvel properties rumored for a TV adaptation include The Punisher and Daughters of the Dragon. It’s unknown how a potential Hulk show would mesh with the upcoming Avengers movie, wherein Mark Ruffalo will don the purple pants.
The three projects join a slew of superhero shows in production or already running. Smallville is wrapping up its final season, and The CW is investigating DC’s teenage demon-spawn Raven as a possible replacement. Original television heroes include ABC’s own No Ordinary Family, The Cape which premiered last night on NBC, and SyFy’s forthcoming Alphas. One casualty in the race for superhero development is Wonder Woman, which has failed to find a home on all major networks. Both Marvel and DC have multiple animated shows on various kids’ networks.
While none of the three projects have been confirmed for production, one thing is for sure: the superhero boom has far from peaked. As Marvel lines up with ABC/Disney and DC works for parent company Warner Bros., expect many new comic projects on the small screen in the next 2-3 years.
