Some of Marvel's best crime fighters have ditched Netflix in favor of a new home. On March 1, Disney announced that Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, The Defenders, and the Marvel ABC series Agents of SHIELD will all be available for streaming on Disney+ starting March 16.
Move over Hawkeye, WandaVision, Loki, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it’s time for something a whole lot meaner. There’s a reason Disney+ has retooled its parental controls, as its new additions pack a punch unlike anything seen before on the streamer. Graphic violence, sex, and dark themes make for some serious superhero dramas, with Daredevil and The Punisher even earning a TV-MA label. Sorry teens under 17, no fight scenes for you!
Whether you've watched every season of each of these programs multiple times or missed out on them all, the move to Disney+ is great news for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Listed below are 12 reasons why these shows are exactly what Disney+ needs right now.
1. It gives the MCU some much needed toughness
Marvel series are known for being fun, but let's be honest, despite their amazing powers, Marvel's superheroes aren't exactly known for toughness. The Avengers may be Earth's mightiest heroes, but chances are you'd be more afraid to see The Punisher in an alley than Thor.
2. The Spider-Man bump
Wait a minute. Wasn't that Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) in the first few minutes of Spider-Man: No Way Home? It sure was, and with his cameo, the internet has been ablaze with what could potentially be in store for everyone's favorite blind lawyer. If Matt Murdock is to be included in the MCU along with his primary antagonist (more on that below), it’s possible the rest of The Defenders could be brought back as well. Time to do some homework.
3. The Kingpin could take over from Thanos as the MCU’s new big bad
With Thanos defeated and the MCU well into Phase Four, the Marvel Cinematic Universe needs a new big bad. While Agatha Harkness is certainly a worthy foe and is getting her own spinoff, The Kingpin of Crime (Vincent D’Onofrio) may make a lot more sense, particularly for Marvel’s street-level heroes. His interactions with Daredevil are well known but his recent arc in Hawkeye may hint at big plans for the big villain. Even though it appeared he was shot by Echo in the Hawkeye finale, comic book fans know The Kingpin lives to “see” another day.
4. They contain the best fight scenes in the MCU
To be sure, Hulk and Captain America are great at throwing punches but no one fights more viscerally than any one of The Defenders. Daredevil's hallway fight scene, Luke Cage ripping off the door of an SUV and using it as a shield while thumping a building full of henchmen, and The Punisher pulverizing three knife-wielding goons in a bar bathroom are far better than most fights you'll see in a standard Marvel film or series.
5. Daredevil is worth your attention
The Netflix Daredevil series ran from 2015-2018 and it currently has a 92% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, so its paltry three seasons feels like a giant missed opportunity. While there’s certainly some overlap between Netflix and Disney+ subscribers, getting The Man with No Fear in front of a new audience is sure to grow his fanbase.
6. The Punisher is a badass
Frank Castle is such a badass that even Hulk would think twice about throwing hands with him. The Falcon AND The Winter Soldier vs The Punisher? I’m still taking Castle. Every streaming service should have its own badass and now Disney+ has one. Visceral fight scenes aren’t the only thing that makes Castle tick. His drive to avenge his family is powerful and emotional.
7. Jessica Jones is the MCU’s version of Batman
Moon Knight is sometimes referred to as the Marvel version of The Dark Knight but because of her investigative prowess, a more apt comparison would be Jessica Jones. Smart, determined and brusque, Jessica Jones is the series to watch while prepping for Moon Knight. If nothing else, you owe it to yourself to watch season one of Jessica Jones for David Tennant’s stellar performance as Kilgrave. It’s creepy, frightening and mesmerizing at the same time.
8. Luke Cage is a criminally underrated series
After Daredevil, Luke Cage easily has the best roster of villains of the new series joining the Disney+ roster. From Cottonmouth (Mahershala Ali) to Bushmaster (Mustafa Shakir) to Shades (Theo Rossi) to the incomparable Black Mariah (Alfre Woodard), Luke Cage has his hands full. A hero is only as good as his villain and Luke Cage is in fine company.
9. We all need more Rosario Dawson in our life
Rosario Dawson is awesome in everything. Whether she’s wielding a lightsaber (The Mandalorian), investigating the opioid crisis (Dopesick) or voicing a character in the zombie apocalypse (Dying Light 2: Stay Human), she always shines. Her character Claire Temple has appeared in every Marvel show arriving March 16, and with her series, Ahsoka eventually coming to Disney+, fans can get all the Rosario Dawson content they can handle in one place.
10. Colleen Wing finally takes flight (hopefully)
The best thing to come out of two disappointing seasons of Marvel's Iron Fist was the person who would eventually wield it, Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick). A savvy and skilled martial artist, Wing's story as the new Iron Fist is yet to be told. With Season 2 of Iron Fist ending on a cliffhanger, maybe we'll get to see what the deft fighter does with her new powers. This brings us to…
11. The possibility for more series from these established franchises just increased
More Daredevil? Yes, please. More Jessica Jones? Absolutely. More Luke Cage. Hell, yeah. More Punisher? Take. My Money. More Iron Fist? Only if Colleen Wing is the lead. With these Marvel franchises finally making their way to Disney+, the chances of these great series getting new seasons has vastly improved. No better way to provide content to a growing audience than using established series.
12. These Marvel shows are where they finally belong
Having gritty Marvel series on Netflix made sense back in 2015, but with Disney+ launching in 2019, a return to the Disney fold makes sense for several reasons. The new additions bolster the Disney+ roster, beefing up its Marvel lineup but also providing the streamer with a more well-rounded offering. While the Disney+ has always been family-friendly, a rougher edge makes it a more formidable foe for competitors like HBO Max and Amazon. Welcome home Daredevil and friends, we look forward to seeing more of you soon.
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