Marvel and Star Wars fans should be thrilled that Disney is launching their own streaming service. The first Star Wars live action TV series, The Mandalorian, is currently filming, with a movie-worthy budget and a murderer’s row of directors. Expect Marvel to follow suit shortly with a parade of six to eight episode limited series.
The plan for the Disney streaming service is to give “second tier” characters from various Marvel and Avengers movies their own series. The first report about this initiative (sorry) indicated that a Loki series would be top priority, and that there were plans for a Scarlet Witch series, too. But the latest news about these projects should be even more exciting for Marvel fans.
Variety now reports that Malcolm Spellman (Empire) has been tapped to write a Falcon and Winter Soldier limited series for the Disney streaming service. Earlier reports indicated that the plan is for the big screen actors to reprise their roles for the small screen on all of these shows (which will be produced by Kevin Feige and have hefty budgets), so expect Sebastian Stan to return as Bucky Barnes and Anthony Mackie to play Sam Wilson again.
Now what does this mean for Captain America? Both of these characters have carried the shield when Steve Rogers has been otherwise, um, indisposed, and given Chris Evans’ cryptic remarks after he completed filming Avengers 4, well…will this series focus on a world without a Captain America?
Disney’s streaming service is expected to launch in late 2019. That doesn’t mean that any of these Marvel shows will be ready for launch, but anything is possible. This still doesn’t solve the mystery surrounding the fate of Marvel’s Netflix shows. The streaming giant recently cancelled both Luke Cage and Iron Fist, sparking speculation that Netflix is scaling back their Marvel content as Disney readies their own competing service. Then again, there’s plenty of speculation that Luke Cage and Danny Rand (and their respective supporting casts) could reunite under a Heroes for Hire title. The question, then, would be whether that happens on Netflix or the Disney streaming service.
While Marvel and Disney aren’t revealing any details just yet, don’t be surprised if official announcements start flying once the tarp comes off Avengers 4.