Netflix’s Marvel Cinematic Universe comes to an end

Netflix has cancelled The Punisher following its second season and Jessica Jones before its third and final season has aired. This brings Netflix’s Marvel Cinematic Universe efforts to an end, Disney TV boss Jeph Loeb hints that characters from all five of its shows could live on under Disney.

The move isn’t particularly surprising following the axing of Luke Cage and Iron Fist in October and Daredevil in November, but it has left many customers contemplating the worth of their subscription. All of the previously aired seasons will remain under the Netflix banner, while Jessica Jones’ last season will still land on the platform at some point this year.

“Marvel’s The Punisher will not return for a third season on Netflix,” the streaming giant tells the press. “In addition, in reviewing our Marvel programming, we have decided that the upcoming third season will also be the final season for Marvel’s Jessica Jones. We are grateful to Marvel for five years of our fruitful partnership and thank the passionate fans who have followed these series from the beginning.”

Interestingly, the decision seems to have come from Netflix rather than Disney, presumably on the grounds that the latter’s upcoming Disney+ streaming service is a conflict of interest. Fortunately, these characters might return in shows made for the new service, or perhaps Hulu, although it is uncertain that the same cast and crew would be brought back.

“Marvel assembled amazing teams to write, produce, direct, edit, and score 13 seasons and 161 one-hour episodes. Take a moment and go online and look at the dazzling list of actors, writers, directors, and musicians who graced us with the very best of their craft. We loved each and every minute of it,” Loeb wrote.

“Our Network partner may have decided they no longer want to continue telling the tales of these great characters… but you know Marvel better than that. As Matthew Murdock’s Dad once said, ‘The measure of a man is not how he gets knocked to the mat, it’s how he gets back up.’”

The suggestion that “Marvel assembled” the crews for each show could just be a pun on the famous ‘Avengers Assemble’ catchphrase, but if true then perhaps it means that they could return in the future. Still, without official word from the company itself, this is just speculation.

KitGuru Says: It’s incredibly sad to see such wonderful shows come to an end, but it had to happen sometime. Perhaps sooner rather than later is preferable, potentially avoiding becoming stale. Which was your favourite of the shows? Are you sad to see them go?

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