Marvel Team-Up.... with Netflix?

[Umbran]

The full press release is below, but the important bit:

Led by a series focused on “Daredevil,” followed by “Jessica Jones,” “Iron Fist” and “Luke Cage,” the epic will unfold over multiple years of original programming, taking Netflix members deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York. Netflix has committed to a minimum of four, thirteen episodes series and a culminating Marvel’s “The Defenders” mini-series event that reimagines a dream team of self-sacrificing, heroic characters.

Thoughts?

BURBANK, Calif., Nov. 7, 2013 – The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) and Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) today announced an unprecedented deal for Marvel TV to bring multiple original series of live-action adventures of four of Marvel’s most popular characters exclusively to the world’s leading Internet TV Network beginning in 2015. This pioneering agreement calls for Marvel to develop four serialized programs leading to a miniseries programming event.

Led by a series focused on “Daredevil,” followed by “Jessica Jones,” “Iron Fist” and “Luke Cage,” the epic will unfold over multiple years of original programming, taking Netflix members deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York. Netflix has committed to a minimum of four, thirteen episodes series and a culminating Marvel’s “The Defenders” mini-series event that reimagines a dream team of self-sacrificing, heroic characters.

Produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Television Studios, this groundbreaking deal is Marvel’s most ambitious foray yet into live-action TV storytelling.

“This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel’s brand, content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an incredible platform for the kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty,” said Alan Fine, President of Marvel Entertainment. “This serialized epic expands the narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.”

“Marvel’s movies, such as ‘Iron Man’ and Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’, are huge favorites on our service around the world. Like Disney, Marvel is a known and loved brand that travels,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “With ‘House of Cards’ and our other original series, we have pioneered new approaches to storytelling and to global distribution and we’re thrilled to be working with Disney and Marvel to take our brand of television to new levels with a creative project of this magnitude.”

This new original TV deal follows last year’s landmark movie distribution deal through which, beginning with 2016 theatrically released feature films, Netflix will be the exclusive U.S. subscription television service for first-run, live-action and animated movies from the Walt Disney Studios, including titles from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Disneynature and Lucasfilm. Netflix members can currently enjoy a wide range of Disney, ABC TV and Disney Channel films and shows across the 41 countries where Netflix operates.

 

[jonesy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24864631

There are also rumours of another Marvel spin-off series, based on Hayley Atwell's character in Captain America.

Peggy Carter getting a whole series? That would be interesting.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

As long as subscription rates stay below $10US a month, I am not worried.

 

[The_Silversword]

A Defenders show sounds like a great idea, however it doesnt sound like Dr Strange and Son of Satan (2 of my all time favorite characters) will be in it, bummer!

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

"Netflix will be the exclusive U.S. subscription television service for first-run, live-action and animated movies from the Walt Disney Studios, including titles from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Disneynature and Lucasfilm."

Does anybody find this part mildly worrisome? I smell an Evil Empire brewing...

​

I hope so.

We need a good evil empire.

It will inspire a whole new round of creativity and innovation from everyone else trying to catch up.

 

[Nellisir]

I'm mostly surprised by the scope. I knew Disney signed a deal with Netflix through at least 2017 (might have been longer); a lot more Disney stuff has been showing up streaming on Netflix in recent months.

 

[trappedslider]

I'm mostly surprised by the scope. I knew Disney signed a deal with Netflix through at least 2017 (might have been longer); a lot more Disney stuff has been showing up streaming on Netflix in recent months.

They have REces : Taking the fifth grade....i'm awaiting the rest of Recess and hoping Gargoyles shows up as well

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

I'm mostly surprised by the scope.

Me too. That's a whole lot of content to come Netflix' way. One wonders how until Disney buys Netflix outright.

 

[Nellisir]

Disney bought Pixar in 2006 for $7.4 billion; Marvel, 2009, $4.24 billion; Lucasfilms, 2012, acquisition valued at $4.06 billion. They bought the Muppets in 2003, price not given on the Wikipedia page. They've also been trimming the fat recently, shutting down &/or selling off Miramax, Imagemovers, Lyric Street, and Power Rangers.

In 2012 Google "expressed interest" in acquiring Netflix for $17.9 billion.

If I had to guess, I'd say Disney is pretty focused on content acquisition right now. Disney could purchase Netflix, but it would be a big jump from previous purchases, into an entirely new arena, that they might not feel equipped or interested in handling.

(For comparison, Hasbro bought Avalon Hill in 1998 for $6 million, and Wizards of the Coast for $325 million in 1999. They acquired Cranium Games in 2008 for $77.5 million. Hasbro also has a deal to produce Marvel Comics and Star Wars brand toys through at least 2020.)

Wikipedia Disney, Netflix, and Hasbro for all information.

 

[sabrinathecat]

Of course Disney is the big evil empire. They are out to stifle creativity with bland, banal, mid-western, "safe", goody-two-shoes values. That's the way they are.
To me, it was surprising they allowed Tony Stark to be the womanizer and drunkard that they did.
No way, though, they'd have a show devoted to Doctor Strange--he's a sorcerer, and all sorcerers are bad, unless they are really just using really advanced science, and not magic.

As for the shows they've announced, could be good, could be bad. It will depend on how they approach the subjects. On the other hand, their version of House of Cards, and Wolf Lake (whatever they called it), have left me with little to no hope for Netflix' productions. (No, I didn't even try "Orange is the New Black")