A Marvel Studios executive recently admitted that the MCU's strategy for Disney+ shows was not working, which led to the change that fans are seeing implemented now. When Marvel Studios first began using Disney+ as a storytelling platform, the studios saw a lot of success, particularly with early titles like WandaVision and Loki Season 1. However, Marvel kept using the same format with different shows, and it got to a point where Disney+ series just weren't resonating with fans.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Marvel Studios' Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, explained how Marvel's approach to creating content for Disney+ has changed, and that the company's original strategy was flawed.
Winderbaum specifically revealed that it is "a different time at Disney+," and explained that "the original shows were created as limited series with characters that could bounce back and forth between the movies and TV shows."
The Marvel Television boss also stated that doing that "made it challenging" for any Disney+ series to receive a second season, which is not the route Marvel wants to go anymore. Now, the company has "started developing shows that could last for multiple seasons:"
"It's a different time at Disney+. The original shows were created as limited series with characters that could bounce back and forth between the movies and TV shows. That made it challenging to make Season 2s because the deal structure became really expensive, frankly. So we started developing shows that could last for multiple seasons."
Since Marvel Studios rolled out its Marvel Television banner, it has been focused on crafting projects for Disney+ that more closely mirror traditional TV shows, whereas before, the limited series were more like movies broken up into nearly equal parts that acted as episodes.
Some of those projects worked and were received well by fans, and others didn't, but, as Winderbaum said, it made it extremely difficult for multiple seasons to be created "because the deal structure became really expensive." Also, these characters and storylines were directly overlapping with and connecting to other Disney+ series or MCU movies, so if a second season of a show was created, it may not even really connect to its previous installment.
For example, Kamala Khan was introduced in the Ms. Marvel Disney+ show. After that, she popped up in The Marvels, a feature film. If Marvel Studios had then made a second season of Ms. Marvel, it would have picked up after The Marvels, so casual fans who were only interested in watching the TV show would have noticed Kamala at a completely different part in her character arc and life, and that there was a gap in storytelling and events between seasons.
In the interview, Winderbaum also talked about some of the Disney+ shows that fans can expect to see soon, and Marvel Television's release plans for them. He directly mentioned Daredevil: Born Again and how a third season of it has already received the green light, as well as X-Men '97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Most notably, the Marvel Television boss reiterated that all of those shows will "come out annually," which is something else the old Disney+ strategy did not allow:
"'Daredevil,' we've now greenlit the third season, that'll come out annually. 'X-Men '97,' 'Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,' they'll come out annually for a number of years."
Before, because the Disney+ shows were more like events or movies, and since they connected with the greater MCU on every level, if an additional season were to be developed, it had to wait years. For example, Loki Season 1 was released in 2021, and then Season 2 did not come out until 2023. Now, since Marvel is creating more traditional, standalone TV shows, seasons can be released more quickly (like Daredevil: Born Again).
How Will Marvel's New Disney+ Strategy Tie Shows to the Movies?
Under Marvel Television, the company's Disney+ strategy has changed drastically. Instead of TV shows being stepping stones between theatrical releases, shows can now be enjoyed on their own. For example, anyone could press play on Wonder Man or Daredevil: Born Again and enjoy them without watching any of the MCU movies first.
However, there will come a time when some of these Disney+ characters will be brought into at least one of Marvel Studios' films. It is impossible to know how their inclusion and the events in the Disney+ series will be handled, but, most likely, the characters will receive a formal introduction in whatever movie they show up in, and some of the most important events that occurred in the Disney+ shows could be referenced through dialogue if those events are necessary to that character's inclusion in the movie.
For the first time, it seems as though both fans and Marvel Studios are happy with Marvel's Disney+ output and strategy, so fans can likely expect that strategy to remain in place for the foreseeable future.
