ARCHIVED QUESTIONS

In order to keep our existing FAQ as current as possible, we’ve moved any outdated answers into a separate archive page. This text remains accessible to any fans who are curious at how the situation around the cancellation and campaign has evolved.

+ Q: Why did Marvel hire the writers of Deck the Halls to write the new Daredevil show? I’m worried they don’t have the experience to make Daredevil dark and gritty.

A: In addition to Deck the Halls, Matt Corman and Chris Ord were the creators of Covert Affairs, a character driven action drama that ran for five seasons on the USA network, earning itself a passionate fan base.

In our opinion, history has shown that previous credits are not necessarily a reliable indicator of future work. Erik Oleson himself has demonstrated his range across genres as he graduated from CW’s Arrow, to The Man in the High Castle, Daredevil, and Carnival Row.

+ Q: Why are you still campaigning? Charlie Cox is back as Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio is back as Kingpin! Daredevil is already saved!

A: We are thrilled that both actors have officially appeared in Marvel Studios projects, and we welcome the idea of more appearances to come, but we won't consider Daredevil saved until a solo project is announced, ideally including as much of the original talent as possible. From day one, the #SaveDaredevil campaign has been blessed with support from numerous members of the original Netflix cast and creative team who were all integral in making Daredevil the triumph that it was, and we continue to support their return to this show.

UPDATED MAY 19, 2022: A new solo Daredevil project has been announced, but we await news regarding the rest of the original cast!

+ Q: Charlie Cox was perfect, but I’m worried Kevin Feige will cast a new actor for Daredevil.

A: Worry not! In December 2021, Kevin Feige himself confirmed the return of Charlie as Matt Murdock for future MCU projects.

“If you were to see Daredevil in upcoming things, Charlie Cox, yes, would be the actor playing Daredevil.”

+ Q: Why haven't we heard from Marvel / Disney / Netflix, etc about our campaign yet?

A: Probably because there's nothing to hear...yet. This is an unusual cancellation that doesn't have an exact precedent. It's not a traditional cancellation like Lucifer or Brooklyn 99, where the production studio is allowed to shop the cancelled property around to new networks. There are secretive and very sticky IP / rights / contract related issues between Disney / Marvel + Netflix, ones that we simply aren't privy to and won't ever be.

We definitely empathize with fans who want to see some more immediate action from the companies involved - we are in the same boat - but this has always been a marathon, not a sprint. What we can do as a campaign is to keep the conversation loud and consistent, and keep applying positive pressure from our public campaign initiatives.

We still take a great deal of encouragement from Jeph Loeb’s open letter to Marvel Television fans:

On behalf of everyone at Marvel Television, we couldn't be more proud or more grateful to our audience. Our Network partner may have decided they no longer want to continue telling the tales of these great characters... but you know Marvel better than that. As Matthew Murdock's Dad once said, "The measure of a man is not how he gets knocked to the mat, it's how he gets back up." To be continued...!

#SaveDaredevil even quoted Jack Murdock and Jeph’s words as part of the NYC Times Square billboard a few days later. Perhaps Marvel hasn’t acknowledged the campaign directly but they undoubtedly know about us now.

+ Q: I don’t believe in petitions. / We can’t do anything about it anyway. What’s the point?

A: We understand that everyone has their own opinion about this cancellation and what can realistically be done, and that it’s within everyone’s right to decide what course of action is best for them. But those of us behind this campaign would prefer to keep fighting for this show, and we know we’re not alone. If participating in fan campaigns isn’t your thing, but you enjoyed season 3 at all, we’d still invite you to sign the petition. It takes less than a minute to make a difference - and join 400,000+ fans who feel the same way!

+ Q: I heard the rights for Daredevil returned to Marvel on November 29, but doesn’t Netflix still own Daredevil?

A: No, Netflix does NOT own Daredevil or any of the Marvel Netflix series and they never did. While things were confusing at the initial time of cancellation, it has become more and more clear that Netflix maintains exclusive distribution rights - and only for a limited window of time.

In fact, a huge motivating factor for the Marvel Netflix cancellations was eventually revealed in reporting by The Hollywood Reporter in February 2019, from which we got these telling quotes:

Put simply: Netflix did not have an ownership stake in any of its Marvel TV series. Each of the six Marvel shows was owned by Disney. Netflix paid ABC Studios a (steep) licensing fee for each season of its respective series.

This matches up with an early quote from a Bob Iger interview that came out right after the Marvel Netflix shows were announced.

This gives us an opportunity to create and own four new series that Netflix will have exclusivity [on] for a period of time, starting in [2015], when the series are made available to them.

So no, Netflix has never owned Daredevil or any of the other Defenders series, and by extension, does not own the Charlie Cox version of Daredevil or any of the other characters. Daredevil the character, and frankly, any live action version of Daredevil, has always belonged to Disney and Marvel. They were simply prevented from using their own IP for two years during the moratorium or what could also be considered a cooling-down / non-compete period (the clause itself specifically prevents the characters from appearing in non-Netflix series or films). With that moratorium over, we can safely assume that they are released from those restrictions and using Daredevil or developing new projects around him, are fair game for Marvel.

The one thing that Netflix does currently retain is that exclusive distribution window, and while the terms between Disney and Netflix were never publicized, we know from other reporting and licensing agreements between Netflix and similarly sized media companies that the most common window is anywhere between 5-10 years. And because we are nearly 6 years into that distribution window for Daredevil, we’re likely getting closer than ever to the day Daredevil can move back to a Disney owned platform.

For a slighty more in-depth dive on this, check out our YouTube minisode on the topic, embedded here:


+ Q: Do you think Daredevil will return to Netflix?

A: No. After the cancellations Netflix had approximately two years to renew its Marvel shows, but now that the rights have reverted back to Disney/Marvel, it wouldn’t make sense for Disney to sign those rights back over to an outside streamer when they've been prioritizing content for their own platforms.

+ Q: But isn't Feige already planning to reboot Daredevil?

A: As of November 2020, there has been no actual quote on record of Kevin Feige stating any plans to reboot Daredevil or any other Defenders related property. This particular rumor started after the announcement at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 that Mahershala Ali (who played Cottonmouth on Luke Cage) was being cast as Blade. However, we have more than one example of the same actor playing different characters within the Marvel universe:

  • Alfre Woodard, who played Mariah Dillard in Luke Cage (2016-2018) also played Miriam in Captain America: Civil War (2016)
  • Edward Norton played Bruce Banner/Hulk in “The Incredible Hulk” (2008), but was replaced by Mark Ruffalo in “The Avengers” (2012)
  • Enver Gjokaj, who played Daniel Sousa in Agent Carter (2015-2016) also played a background role in "The Avengers" (2012)
  • Gemma Chan, who played Minn-Erva in "Captain Marvel" (2019), played the starring role of Sersi in "The Eternals" (2021)
  • Ali himself has had the distinct privilege of having played different roles in three separate Marvel projects with Luke Cage, Blade, and the voice of Uncle Aaron in Into The Spiderverse.

In 2015, Zachary Levi was asked if he was prevented from playing other roles in the MCU after portraying Fandral in "Thor" : The Dark World”. He responded, "Oh no. I had a very interesting talk with Kevin Feige early on about it all and he said, 'Look, it doesn't preclude you from playing another Marvel character.'”

Also in 2015, when asked about a Netflix DD/MCU crossover Kevin Feige was quoted as saying : “I think that’s inevitable at some point...certainly as they do more shows and cast them with such great actors as they have—particularly in Daredevil—that may occur.”

+ Q: If it’s not moving to Disney+ right away, then why are we writing to Disney?

A: In December 2018 The Hollywood Reporter posted an interview with Kevin Mayer, the chairman of Walt Disney direct-to-consumer and international divisions - in other words, the man who will be overseeing all of the Disney-owned streaming platforms, including Disney+ and Hulu. He had this to say about the Marvel Netflix shows:

Would you consider reviving the Marvel shows that Netflix canceled?

They are very high-quality shows. We haven't yet discussed that, but I would say that's a possibility.

This confirms that, at the time of cancellation, there were no plans in the works to move anything to Disney+. However, a high ranking Disney exec stating on the record that there’s a possibility of Marvel Netflix shows being revived on a Disney-owned streaming service is incredibly significant. It reaffirms our need to continue communicating as a united fanbase that we want to see this happen with THIS cast and creative team, and that we are willing to wait for it!

+ Q: But Marvel already said Daredevil will be back in the future. Why are you campaigning?

A: There are a lot of rumors about Daredevil's future, but until there is official confirmation, we are fighting for THIS version of the show, with as many of the cast, crew, and creative team as possible. Marvel's initial press release following the cancellation of the show by Netflix promised more adventures with the character of Daredevil, but not necessarily with the same actor or in the same format.

+ Q: Stop panicking. It’s clearly moving to Disney+.

A: At Disney Investor Day on April 11, 2019, Agnes Chu, then Senior VP of Content, said: "Ultimately, Disney+ will become the exclusive streaming home for all family‐friendly content from our brands."

Daredevil is currently rated M for mature audiences and we hope to see it return with the same, or similar, rating.

+ Q: Why do you think Hulu can save Daredevil?

A: We're glad you asked! We made a whole page about it right here.

+ Q: Netflix cancelled the show because viewership was down, plain and simple.

A: While no one has exact access to the numbers besides Netflix, there has been reporting that Daredevil has been one of Netflix’s most popular originals since its premiere.

And here's a weekly assessment of top streaming shows on Netflix and other streaming platforms since Business Insider began tracking shows on streaming platforms - Daredevil has been sitting comfortably on that list since it launched its third season: Week of 10/30 | Week of 11/6 | Week of 11/18 | Week of 11/25 | Week of 12/3 | Week of 12/9 | Week of 12/17 | Week of 12/23 | Week of 12/29 | Week of 1/6 | Week of 1/13 | Week of 1/20 | Week of 2/3 | Week of 2/10 | Week of 2/17 | Week of 2/24 | Week of 3/3 | Week of 3/10

On April 10, 2019, Parrot Analytics released their Annual Report for Jan - Dec 2018 and places Daredevil firmly in the top 20 listings all over the world.



+ Q: Okay but what about that article that said viewership for Daredevil S3 declined by 57%?

A: You mean this article, that's comparing only first week viewership between Daredevil S2 and 3?

In addition to this being a misleading piece of data, there are a couple of key reasons not to read too much into a first week viewership drop, including:

  • The fact that Daredevil season 2 was released in early 2016, back when Netflix only had 31 scripted series total to promote that year. Compare that to their programming output in 2018, in which they'd planned for 700 new original series at the beginning of the year, and ended up with almost 900 original series by the end of 2018. The sheer numbers reflected in total programming output make the immediate binging of a Netflix show by anyone other than hard core fans more and more difficult every year - this is the landscape in which Daredevil season 3 debuted.
  • The difference between marketing and promotional efforts from S2 to 3. While there is always a natural decline in marketing budget once an established series hits its later seasons, it's still notable to highlight the drop in promotion and awareness surrounding Daredevil leading into S3. Anecdotally speaking, between the lack of promotion online and Netflix's algorithm skipping over promoting the show to users within the app, many people were simply not aware there was a season 3 coming out that week in the first place.

Despite this apparent drop in first week views, Daredevil Season 3 still ends up demonstrating long-term demand, especially compared to other Netflix original series that premiered at the same time, like Haunting of Hill House or Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. This is most apparent when reviewing Parrot Analytics' Global Television Demand Report for Q1 for 2019, in which Daredevil is the 5th most in-demand digital series in the United States and within the top 10 / 20 in all other countries highlighted in the roundup. Remember that season 3 premiered in October (2018, Q4) and still managed to maintain a sustained level demand until March - at least five months after its initial premiere.

As of September 27, 2019, almost a full year since the release of season 3, Daredevil still ranked in the top 10 Most In-Demand Superhero Series in the world, per Parrot Analytics.

So while the first week viewership metric certainly sounds important on paper, Daredevil season 3 handily illustrates why a more important metric should be measuring a show's appeal and staying power over a longer amount of time.

+ Q: Why are you blaming Netflix? Disney is behind this. They won't allow Netflix to make any more seasons.

A: This is a common rumor that Jeph Loeb himself took time to debunk during his recent appearance at Fan Expo Dallas in May 2019. When asked about the possibility of the series being revived at Hulu, he included this statement about the Disney rumors:

I still see every day posts where some genius will say that: Netflix had nothing to do with this. DISNEY wanted all those characters back and that's what happened. That is NOT what happened. [...] As I have said REPEATEDLY, the network always has the right to decide that they don't want to continue...

We encourage you to watch the full video of his response here:



+ Q: I thought Marvel was auctioning off all of Daredevil's costumes and props. If the costumes are sold, doesn't that mean the show can't come back?

A: Yes, Prop Store held an official auction of costumes, props, and other set memorabilia from three of the Netflix Marvel series - Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist - in mid August 2019. But the selling off of show items should not be taken as a sign against future revival.

It's important to remember that these items were created specifically for the Netflix iteration of the show. Since Netflix has no intention of ever bringing the series back, there is no reason for Netflix or Marvel to hold on to these items indefinitely. Additionally, various individuals who worked on Daredevil Season 3 and others who have knowledge of industry norms have confirmed that costumes and props would need to be remade if a different network / studio picks up the show.

+ Q: The season 3 finale felt like a series finale. We don’t need more seasons.

A: But still - the writers had a season 4 planned.

From a io9 interview with Daredevil writer Tamara Becher-Wilkinson : “When asked about what they were working on, and what fans are missing out on, Becher-Wilkinson wasn’t allowed to discuss any specifics “under penalty of death,” but she did reiterate what Ernst said: It would’ve blown fans away—much like the rest of Daredevil, a show she was proud to work on and whose legacy she hopes continues, even as the story has come to an end.”

+ Q: I heard a rumor that Hulu is going to revive the Netflix shows. Is this true?

A: In a February 2019 interview with TheWrap during TCA (a network press event for the Television Critics Association), Craig Erwich, the head of Hulu's Originals division, said this when he was asked about the possibility of Hulu Originals reviving the Netflix shows:

“Marvel has a ton of titles we’d be interested in,” he said, when asked by TheWrap if Hulu would have interest in reviving one of those series. “It kind of just depends on when they’re ready, [and] who, most importantly, is going to be behind these things.”

While this is far from any definitive confirmation Hulu can or will follow through at this point, the fact that Hulu is even saying this on record is a positive sign. Now that the Disney-Fox merger is complete, and Disney has been granted 100% ownership over Hulu's operations, there is good reason to believe they will continue with their plans to use the platform as a destination for their mature content. There was also a recent announcement of 5 brand new animated series, and 2 more live action series in the works with Marvel Television, which at the very least paves the way for a continued partnership post-merger. One thing is for sure: we will do our part to continue making it known to Hulu that there is a tremendous fanbase ready to bring their dollars to the subscription service that Saves Daredevil.

+ Q: Why are we writing to Hulu? They’re not international so I won’t be able to watch the show in my country.

A: We have been targeting Hulu as an option for this campaign because once the Disney - Fox merger is complete, Disney will own a majority stake in the platform, with the possibility of 100% control in the future:

Hulu began as a collaboration among media titans Disney, Comcast, Fox, and AT&T, which acquired its stake through the acquisition of Time Warner. Now Disney is preparing to acquire Fox, which would give it a 60% stake in the streaming service, and if both Comcast and AT&T sell their respective positions to Disney, giving it 100% control over Hulu, it could become a premiere movie-streaming powerhouse that challenges Netflix's preeminence. [Source]

Disney has also previously released information about Hulu being their target platform for rated-R content since Disney+ will be staying strictly PG-13. With this in mind, Hulu becomes a more attractive possibility as a future home for the current version of the show.

There will be no R-rated films [on Disney+], and the programming will be consistent with the Disney brand. The R-rated stuff will go on Hulu. The plan now is to leave the various Marvel series where they are… [Source]

We understand that non-U.S. fans may be hesitant about Hulu as a platform due to its lack of availability internationally. While it's true that Hulu, at this time, is U.S. only, Disney will likely be working to take the platform international in the next few years. As stated by Kevin Mayer in his Hollywood Reporter interview:

How does Hulu fit into your international plans?

We would like to have an international trilogy of services where it makes sense. We want a sports service like we have here; we want a general entertainment service, which would be Hulu, in different places around the world where we don't have that; and we want to have Disney around the world. An international rollout of Hulu would be something that we'd be very interested in, and we're talking to Hulu about that now.

As it currently stands, people in other countries may still have access to Hulu content through international licensing deals with other local streaming platforms and television networks. For example, two popular Hulu properties - The Handmaid’s Tale and Marvel’s Runaways - air on HBO Nordic in Sweden. Even if the international rollout of Hulu does not happen immediately, it’s possible it will have started by the time Disney is able to take action again on the fate of the show.

+ Q: Why are people talking about waiting two years for more Daredevil? If we have to wait two years, won’t they just reboot and recast?

A: On December 12, 2018, Variety released an exclusive report stating the following:

Sources tell Variety that the deal for the original four Marvel shows includes a clause that prevents the characters from appearing in any non-Netflix series or film for at least two years after cancellation. That means that “Daredevil,” “Luke Cage,” and “Iron Fist” — which were all canceled this year at Netflix — could not come to the Disney streaming service until 2020 at the earliest.

While there are many contract-related issues between Disney / Marvel and Netflix that we may not be privy to, we do know that a Daredevil revival cannot be developed by Disney until 2020 at the earliest. While we’d love to have the show back on our screens much sooner, we’ve waited two and a half years between seasons before, and we can do it again.

There’s no reason for a reboot or recasting of these roles. With Charlie Cox on record in his support of the Save Daredevil campaign and his willingness to “pick up the batons” again, that’s never been more clear. As fans of THIS show, we need to keep raising our voices to remind Marvel / Disney that THIS cast and creative team are worth waiting for.

+ Q: I just heard that Marvel got the rights to Daredevil back earlier than expected! This means the show's coming back, right?

A: We're aware of the rumors circulating around the internet but in the absence of confirmation from Marvel, we cannot assume this is the case, nor does it make a big difference since rights were always going to revert back to Marvel in late 2020. More importantly, even if it has happened, this does not necessarily mean a revival of our show or that Marvel would continue to use Charlie Cox in the role of Daredevil in future projects. The bottom line? While we remain hopeful that saving the show is a real possibility, our campaign will carry on strong until we hear concrete proof. So keep on engaging with us, Disney, and Marvel on social media so they know how much we want to see our cast, crew, and creative team return!

+ Q: I heard Feige took over Marvel TV. Doesn't that mean they'll only make Disney+ TV shows now?

A: On October 15, 2019, it was reported that Kevin Feige was given an additional title of Marvel Chief Creative Officer on top of his existing duties of being president of Marvel Studios, in short, a corporate re-organization that will bring Marvel Entertainment (up until now, a completely separate Marvel entity housing its comics, television, games, and new media operations) under the creative purview of Feige. While some initial interpretations of the report assumed this meant Marvel Studios would replace the existing Marvel Television operation altogether, what this actually meant is simply that Feige has moved up the chain of command for Marvel at large, with all high-level creative execs reporting to him instead of Marvel chairman Ike Perlmutter - this includes Jeph Loeb, current head of Marvel TV.

So while we concede that television operations within Marvel may look very different within the next year, for now, Marvel TV isn't going anywhere (don't forget they still have Helstrom currently filming, Cloak and Dagger recently completed airing their S2 and crossing over into Marvel's Runaways season 3, the final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in post-production and premiering summer of 2020, and the Offenders animated series for Hulu still in the works). And a big reason why we personally believe it won't disappearing anytime soon is because of Disney itself.

We know the planned Disney+ MCU mini-series from Marvel Studios will be the reliably buzzy, high production value + effects heavy event programming that's perfect for building an audience on Disney's new family-friendly streaming product, but to expect that level of high budget PG-13 max rating to be the norm for Marvel TV is unrealistic and frankly, not good business. Disney+ may be the new (and popular!) kid on the block of streaming services, but Disney is more than just one platform - they also own ABC, FOX, Freeform, FX / FXX, and Hulu, all significant platforms in their own right that could easily house more Marvel television content. Marvel Studios could continue to produce their own MCU based series while also empowering the existing TV division to pursue complementary, but unique, Marvel stories that can't be told on Disney+. Shows that are riskier, edgier fare on platforms with audiences who want a little more challenge.

Which ultimately for this campaign means we can continue pursuing the same thing we have been this entire time - to see Daredevil revived for another season with the same cast, crew, and creative team on a platform that will allow them to continue telling mature, rated-R stories. We'll just get to make this same appeal to Kevin Feige now, too.

+ Q: I heard Marvel Studios doesn’t want to work with Marvel Television. Is that true?

A: We can’t 100% verify this information, but industry insiders and critics have spoken about some sort of feud between the two divisions at Marvel.


+ Q: Stop panicking. It’s clearly moving to Disney+.

A: Let’s clear something up - the oft-cited factoid about Disney pulling its content off of Netflix in 2019 was for the movies, not television. This is worth mentioning because it’s something we’ve seen cited often as proof that the shows are going straight back to Disney. But this is just the public conflating two different agreements Disney had with Netflix.

More importantly, the [Disney move] will not affect the Marvel Netflix shows. The waters of the entertainment business can be muddy, and contracts hard to figure out for the average viewer, but rest assured that the Disney theatrical distribution deal and the Marvel Television development deal are two separate things. The original Disney distribution deal with Netflix, in a nutshell, simply gave Netflix exclusive streaming rights for all of Disney's theatrical releases, along with Disney-owned and produced television shows from its channels. [Source]

And as popular as the Disney+ theory is, the public has been given no firm indication by either Netflix or Marvel / Disney this is the plan at all. Reporting over the past year from mainstream press, industry publications, and insiders has in fact reflected the unlikelihood of such an occurrence, suggesting the Disney+ platform will stay family friendly.

Here’s how it will work. The OTT platform, whose price point wasn’t mentioned, will start with a domestic service only, and then expand overseas. There will be no R-rated films, and the programming will be consistent with the Disney brand. The R-rated stuff will go on Hulu. The plan now is to leave the various Marvel series where they are, which means Netflix will hang onto its superhero inventory. [Source]


+ Q: Why are you blaming Netflix? Disney is behind this. They won't allow Netflix to make any more seasons.

A: Disney may be involved in production, but they are not allowed to call the shots on renewal or cancellation.

As stated by Jeph Loeb to Entertainment Weekly in September 2018 in response to a question about an Iron Fist renewal:

Unlike the movie studio, which can announce a Captain Marvel movie will be out in 2019, the television studio will always be beholden to our networks, and so if our networks want another season of Iron Fist, we’re ready to go. We’re just waiting for the answer. The show’s been out of a week.

Loeb directly addresses the nature of cancellations again in a 1/19/2019 interview with EW after the release of season 2 of Marvel's The Punisher (spoilers in the link if you haven't watched TPS2):

It’s been reported that the decisions to cancel those shows came as a surprise, after writers’ rooms had already been assembled. Was that really case for all three?

LOEB: I’d rather not get into the specifics, other than we were and continue to be extremely disappointed by the decision that the network made. But when you’re in the game, that’s all you can do. Everyone has a favorite television show that has been canceled on every single network, and we just happen to be at that place right now.

Netflix has also unequivocally come out in regards to their power to cancel these shows.

The news came from Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos, who’s probably better equipped to discuss the future of the Netflix/Marvel universe than anyone else (besides maybe CEO Reed Hastings). Responding to a question about the future of those shows, Sarandos offered a reassuring, if blunt, response.

“Those shows are for us to cancel,” he said, “and we’re super happy with their performance so far.”

Furthermore, it's questionable what degree of knowledge Disney could have had regarding some of their more popular television properties getting canned, as it seems Marvel execs were as stunned as the producers when they heard the show had been canceled.

A December 2018 interview with Amy Rutberg on Inverse.com confirms much of the same:

“We had heard rumors we would start production as early as February 2019,” she says. “It’s a little unusual to be that far ahead in the planning and cancel the show, which makes me think Netflix was laboring over whether or not to cancel it. My guess was it was not an easy decision.”

When asked where she thought Season 4 might have been headed, Rutberg reveals that the cast and crew all assumed Daredevil would run for at least five seasons, giving the show a chance to explore a new villain before potentially returning to Kingpin for a final showdown.

It does seem that something turned sour in the Marvel - Netflix relationship in the fall, one that kicked off Luke Cage's abrupt dismissal, and put Daredevil on the track of cancellation too. In the exclusive Deadline article announcing Luke Cage's untimely demise (on the same day as DDS3's premiere):

A writers’ room under showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker had been working for around six months producing scripts and taking notes from Netflix and Marvel. As actors including lead Mike Colter remained under contract, a formal Season 3 order was considered almost a foregone conclusion by all concerned. [...] It eventually escalated to behind-the-scenes turmoil in the past two days and demands for changes in creative regime. With Marvel and Netflix seemingly intractable and on different sides of the disputes, a harsh cancelation became the only viable exit strategy, it appears.


+ Q: I’m confused, what about the rights? I read a lot of stuff about that, and I don't get it.

A: In short, it’s complicated. Forbes had this to say on the topic back in August 2017:

The Marvel shows on Netflix are produced by Netflix, and so belong to Netflix as much as Marvel. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist aren't going anywhere, nor is the Punisher, whose own series is set to debut later this year. Until something changes, Netflix also is perfectly within its rights to keep partnering with Marvel Television to develop new shows. It's a necessary reality for Netflix: Just a few weeks after Netflix stock hit an all-time high, it was reported earlier this year that the company was over $20 billion in long-term debt and liabilities thanks to its focus on an original content blitz. [Source]

Netflix pays money to produce the Marvel shows, but they don't own the IP. Those shows have clear and consistent branding to Marvel Studios. [Source]

And in light of Netflix's current run of cancellations that felled the Marvel series and other highly regarded shows like 'Santa Clarita Diet' and 'One Day At A Time', more has been written about the platform's role in preventing its cancelled series from finding homes elsewhere. This March 2019 article from Deadline states:

For decades, the success of a TV series had been measured by its longevity. The standard series regular contracts are for six years, which has been considered a threshold for a show to be deemed reasonably successful. Netflix might be rewriting the rulebook with a business model that involves shows often running for two to three seasons.

The Internet network also is assuring its series will remain Netflix exclusives even after their cancellation, with a moratorium allegedly built into deals that prevents axed shows from moving to a new home. That is despite the streamer readily taking in series that were canceled elsewhere, such as Lucifer and Designated Survivor.

In other words, Marvel / Disney definitely owns the intellectual property, but Netflix has still maintains control over the streaming and distribution rights for these particular shows. The Deadline article also confirms what we'd previously learned from this Variety exclusive report: that the characters are barred from appearing in any non-Netflix series or film for at least two years after cancellation. That being said, we also know from Kevin Mayer’s interview with the Hollywood Reporter that a future revival of Netflix Marvel shows on a Disney-owned streaming service is indeed a possibility.