Marvel and Netflix have already announced a first-look deal for four tv series based on the comic book characters Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist; all leading up to a crossover series event, The Defenders. Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos, recently spoke to Empire Magazine as to what led them to choose these grounded Marvel heroes. “It was really based on the theatrical model of The Avengers. Could you take another group of characters, The Defenders, and go about it the same way? Normally they do the big movie and then eventually they get to the group origin story. Having 13 hours to tell each of these stories, you can go right to the origin story and the action at the same time.”
Daredevil is currently filming in New York City and will be the first series to premiere in 2015, but which series comes next? Sarandos revealed that the casting process is already underway for another character. “Right now, the writers’ rooms are open and they’re looking at casting Jessica Jones. If you sense some hesitation in my voice, that’s classic Marvel fashion. They like to keep that veil of secrecy. But Daredevil is already shooting, since that’s out first. Eventually the series will run very close together. You can then have a separate season where the characters will cross over.” When asked if the crossovers will ever hit the Marvel movies he said, “It has been talked about.”
On how the tone of the new Daredevil series will be compared to the 2003 movie that starred Ben Affleck, Sarandos explained, “The series will not be afraid to go darker than the film did. What we love about this particular set of heroes is that they’re a little more down to Earth. Costume wise and also in that these are gritty crime stories, more in the streets than in the clouds.” Will you be watching the Marvel Netflix series? As always, stick with Nuke the Fridge for all your Marvel news.