Marvel Television Will Produce Shows For Disney+ After All
by Erik Amaya
Corporate structures are complicated. Take the case of Disney+, Marvel Studios, and Marvel Television.
Marvel Studios is a division of the Walt Disney Studios, which is itself part of the Walt Disney Company. Marvel Television is a division of Marvel Entertainment, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company. The difference matters beyond which company director reports to which corporate officer. It also means the plans for a tightly connected universe between the films and television programs never quite worked out beyond the first few seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and references to “the incident” on the Netflix shows.
And the distinction is important for the following piece of news.
While talking with Deadline about the future of Marvel Television, division boss Jeph Loeb reiterated the difference between Marvel Studios and Marvel Television and added this startling statement: “Marvel Television will be doing shows with Disney+, we just haven’t announced what we’re going to do there.”
Previously, it was believed Marvel Studios would be producing limited series for the upcoming Disney streaming service while Marvel Television continued to develop and produce shows for Hulu, Freeform, and other aspects of Disney’s cable and streaming platforms. The separation made a certain amount of sense, but it seems the opportunity to make things more connected has presented itself.
It remains to be seen what sort of programs Marvel Television might bring to the Disney+. Thanks to a recent deal with Hulu, the company will be delivering live action series based on Ghost Rider and Helstrom — and possibly a few more under a banner Loeb called ” Adventure into Fear” — and animated series based on Howard the Duck, Dazzler and Tigra, M.O.D.O.K. and Hit-Monkey over the next few years. The company also plans further seasons of Runaways on Hulu and Cloak & Dagger on Freeform.
All of which means Loeb offered a classic Marvel tease we’ll all be talking about for the next year or so. But don’t ask him any questions about The Falcon and the Winter Solider — that’s not his show.