Marvel Studios is ending a six-year era of storytelling in the MCU that took place on Disney+. Since the streaming service's launch in 2019, Disney has called for new streaming content from its subsidiaries, including Marvel Studios, to fill the platform. This caused the MCU to diverge into interconnected television series alongside its films for the first time, and it's an experiment that's lasted all six years of the Multiverse Saga so far.
This move into high-budget streaming series is now reportedly coming to a close for the MCU, as Marvel Studios has no more prestige live-action series in the works after VisionQuest. A report from Collider claimed that Marvel Studios would significantly cut back on its live-action TV series after the release of VisionQuest in October. This doesn't spell a complete end for MCU live-action streaming series, but Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz claimed on X that the "era of prestige (and expensive) Marvel limited series is over."
Shows like WandaVision and Loki featured big-name MCU stars, high production values, heavy VFX, and close ties to the Marvel films. Collider noted in its report that Disney's shows, including Star Wars: The Acolyte, Willow, and the MCU's Wonder Man, were something of an experiment for the studio, as it hoped to compete in the prestige TV race alongside Netflix and HBO. However, none of these shows were given a second season, with an unexpected last-minute reversal in renewal for Wonder Man.
After an initial string of high-value shows featuring recognizable stars like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and Hawkeye, Marvel Studios experimented with a handful of origin-story shows for new heroes, such as Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk. While these weren't always as closely connected to the MCU, they did feature big names like Oscar Isaac and Tatiana Maslany, and often required extensive visual effects. Still, none were given a second season.
Marvel's latest television ventures have seen a reboot of the Netflix Marvel era of storytelling, with characters from Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher returning and the actors reprising their roles. The reboot Daredevil: Born Again has become the MCU's longest-running live-action streaming show in the Disney+ era.
VisionQuest marks the last of Marvel Studios' "prestige" era TV shows, as it fits most closely with the early era of MCU storytelling on Disney+. VisionQuest, led by Avengers star Paul Bettany, has ongoing ties to the MCU and past shows like WandaVision and Agatha All Along, and is a live-action series with hefty visual effects and production requirements. While it's not expected to get a second season, VisionQuest will be a significant draw for Marvel Television and could end up in awards contention alongside shows from HBO and Netflix.
However, Marvel fans should expect a distinct shift in MCU storytelling after VisionQuest, as Marvel Studios returns its prestige storytelling sights to its theatrical releases and adjusts its approach to streaming content.
Marvel Studios' Future on Disney+ After 2026
As Marvel Studios closes the chapter on its six-year-long prestige TV era, it signals a shift in strategy for the studio but not the end of Marvel's presence on Disney+.
Fritz shared that, moving forward, Marvel would be looking for series that aren't too closely tied to the MCU movies, have potential for multiple seasons, and aren't as expensive, which directly contradicts what Marvel Studios has been experimenting with for its TV shows in the Multiverse Saga.
While live-action Marvel programming has taken up a lot of airtime on Disney+, the studio has also significantly invested in animated content, including shows like What If...? and Eyes of Wakanda. Marvel Studios Animation will continue to have a home on Disney+ with shows like X-Men '97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man planned for multiple seasons well into the future.
Marvel Studios also experimented with new formats, such as the Special Presentation banner, which features premium Marvel TV movies. Some of these have been more experimental one-shots featuring lesser-known characters, like Werewolf by Night, while others have been more connected to the MCU narrative, like Jon Berthal's The Punisher: One Last Kill, featuring a solo story for his character from Daredevil: Born Again and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Animated series and Special Presentations are likely to remain part of Marvel Studios' plans on Disney+, as both formats offer more cost-effective storytelling options.
The era of original TV storytelling may not be over at Marvel Studios, as the studio may still find ways to bring smaller-scale or more grounded heroes to the screen in their own TV series that may not require big VFX, production budgets, or huge star power. Looking at a more obscure Marvel Comics character, like the Dazzler, would be one example of how to do this.
There have long been reports that Marvel has been looking at television series for Nova and Strange Academy, as well as a potential crossover series for its Young Avengers or Champions lineup that has been steadily building across the MCU. While these would likely all be event series for Marvel Studios, the studio has learned a great deal from its past six years of television storytelling, such as its shift in showrunner strategy, and approaching shows with these learnings could yield better results.
Alternatively, Marvel may look to turn these into Special Presentations or animated shows instead to maintain its more cost-effective outlook.
Marvel Studios is still recovering from complaints of superhero fatigue throughout the Multiverse Saga, which began six years ago amid the sudden bloat of content across both MCU films and new streaming series. Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige admitted that the Disney+ expansion is one of his regrets, which seems to be leading to a shift at the studio, with priority MCU storytelling sticking to films and less-connected or more experimental properties streaming on Disney+.
Whether this course correction can cure the ailments of the MCU and still provide Disney with HBO-level competition remains to be seen, but change is definitely on the way.
