Netflix Marvel series officially moving to Disney+

It’s official! After much speculation, former Netflix-Marvel comic series Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and The Defenders will be calling Disney+ their new home this month, per Variety.

Disney has confirmed that all six series will hit the streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand starting March 16, 2022. The shows officially left their previous home at Netflix on February 28 which made some fans a bit nervous. There had been stories that the shows were moving to Disney+ at some point but an official date wasn’t given. Now that the rights have reverted back to Disney, new fans can discover the shows and the already initiated can revisit some of these groundbreaking Marvel series. Disney also confirmed that all of these shows will be available across all other Disney+ markets later this year.

It was also announced that Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.LD., which ran on ABC for seven seasons, will also begin streaming on March 16, 2022, on Disney+. This news now brings all of these shows closer into the MCU fold which makes their future in potential upcoming endeavors very intriguing.

Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and all of Netflix’s Marvel series were branded as “Netflix Originals” when they first premiered on the streaming platform. They were licensed out to Netflix from Disney and when that deal ended, it opened the door for Disney to move them to Disney+.

Since some of these shows are more violent than the typical Disney+ fare, the streamer will simultaneously release an update to its existing parental controls in the U.S. which will prompt all subscribers to update their settings. The settings include an option to select content ratings restrictions for each profile and to add a PIN to lock profiles. I’d rather they do this than censor the shows so I’m pretty ok with this move. Michael Paull, President of Disney Streaming, said this about the changes on the streamers:

“Disney+ has served as the home for some of the most beloved brands in the industry, and the addition of these live-action shows brings more from the Marvel brand together, all in one place. We have experienced great success with an expanded content offering on Disney+ across our global markets and are excited to continue that here in the U.S. as well by offering our consumers not only great content with the new Marvel additions, but also a set of features that help ensure a viewing experience most suitable for them and their family.”

Netflix began its run of Marvel originals with Daredevil back in April 2015. All of the Netflix-Marvel series were canceled in 2018 and 2019 in the lead-up to the launch of Disney+ in November 2019. The reason the shows didn’t immediately head to Disney+ was due to a contract with Netflix that prevented the series and their characters from appearing in any non-Netflix series or films for at least two years after each one’s cancellation. November 2020 marked two years since the Daredevil cancellation which opened the door for Charlie Cox to have his cameo as Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Are YOU excited that these shows are heading to Disney+?