Marvel’s partnership with Netflix appears to be coming to an unceremonious end. After producing an ambitious series of interconnected, live-action comic book shows — which culminated in the crossover event The Defenders — Netflix canceled Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Daredevil last fall without any warning or explanation. The Punisher and Jessica Jones are still hanging on for now, but might not be long for this world either.
But with Netflix on its way out of the picture, Marvel has instead opted to strengthen its ties with Hulu, as news comes out of the Television Critics Association winter press tour that four animated series are in the works for the streaming service: Howard the Duck, M.O.D.O.K., Hit-Monkey, and Tigra & Dazzler.
Much like the four original Netflix series, all four of these animated Hulu shows will be set in the same universe, and the characters will eventually meet in a crossover series called The Offenders. The like of Kevin Smith, Patton Oswalt, and Chelsea Handler have been tapped to write the shows, which Hulu describes below:
- Marvel’s Howard The Duck is trapped in a world he never made, but America’s favorite fighting fowl hopes to return home with the help of his unstoppable gal pal Beverly before the evil Dr. Bong can turn him the crispiest dish on the menu. Writers Kevin Smith and Dave Willis will also executive produce along with Jeph Loeb.
- Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. centers around an egomaniacal supervillain with a really big head and a really little body, who struggles to maintain control of his evil organization and his demanding family. Writers Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt will also executive produce along with Jeph Loeb.
- Marvel’s Hit-Monkey tells the tale of a wronged Japanese snow monkey, mentored by the ghost of an American assassin, as he cuts a wide swath through the Tokyo underworld in this darkly cinematic and brutally funny revenge saga. Writers Josh Gordon and Will Speck will executive produce along with Jeph Loeb.
- Marvel’s Tigra & Dazzler Show is a story about two woke superheroes and best friends, Tigra and Dazzler, as they fight for recognition among powered people who make up the eight million stories in Los Angeles. Writers Erica Rivinoja and Chelsea Handler serve as executive producers along with Jeph Loeb.
- Marvel’s The Offenders, is a story in which nobody asked them to – and we’d be better off if they didn’t – but MODOK, Dazzler, Tigra, Hit Monkey and Howard the Duck are all forced to team up in order to save the world and certain parts of the Universe. Jeph Loeb will executive produce.
Marvel TV boss Jeph Loeb will executive produce all of the shows, just as he did for the various Netflix series. Marvel did not say when we could expect to see any of these shows hit Hulu, but we can’t imagine any will be ready for 2019. As disappointing as the past few months have been for Netflix subscribers who like Marvel properties, between Hulu and Disney+, there’s plenty of Marvel TV content to look forward to.
