The independent television series created by Marvel Studiosand Netflix will soon be streaming on Disney Plus, home to the Marvel Cinematic Universe television shows. Fans will be able to watch shows includingDaredevil,Jessica Jones,Luke Cage,Iron Fist,The Punisher, andThe Defenderson the streaming platform. The sudden switch, however, has fans contemplating what this means for the future of the MCU and these characters. Is this the studio’s way of slowly integrating them into the larger universe?
The conversation isn’t surprising, considering Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock fromDaredevilmade a not-so-surprising cameo inSpider-Man: No Way Home. Ever since the fan-favorite character was officially brought into the MCU, fans have been convinced that the remaining characters from the independent Netflix shows will eventually make an appearance in the MCU, and theseries moving to Disney Plushas them feeling suspicious.
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BeforeSpider-Man: No Way Homeeven premiered, fan theories were making the rounds about Murdock’s involvement in the plot. Keen-eyed fans claimed to have seen Cox on the sets of the extremely popular film, whereas others tried to spot him in theSpider-Man: No Way Hometrailer. Even though the actor denied his involvement in the film, fans were sure that they would get to meet their beloved Daredevil on the big screen.
Cox’s stint inSpider-Man: No Way Homewas quite brief, but still impressive. He appears in his lawyer avatar Murdock to provide legal advice to Tom Holland’s Peter Parker after his true identity has been revealed, and he is being framed for killing Mysterio. The scene left fans cheering for one of their favorite characters, when all Cox did was catch a brick and claim to be a “very good lawyer.”
Fans loved thatCox’s Murdock was now part of the MCUas it meant that they would get to see more of him in future projects. As a lawyer, he could assist many other heroes with any legal matters, and then transform into his Daredevil avatar to possibly help them fight crime. There were suddenly endless possibilities for further crossovers moving forward.
What made the situation even better was Vincent D’Onofrio returning to reprise his role as Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, in the Disney Plus seriesHawkeye. Both Fisk and Murdock appeared in the MCU around the same time, withSpider-Man: No Way Homereleasing on June 20, 2025 andKingpin debuting inHawkeyeon December 15. It was almost as if the studio had planned their appearances, to ensure that both characters from Netflix’sDaredevilgot their respective introductions simultaneously.
It is already known that both Murdock and Fisk will make an appearance in future MCU projects, after Marvel bossKevin Feige confirmed Cox as the MCU’s Daredevil. The last time the two characters went up against each other was inDaredeviland fans are now looking forward to the hero reuniting with his arch nemesis in the MCU. WhileDaredevilwas one of the best independent Marvel series, it would be interesting to see Murdock’s journey change now that the characters are part of the larger universe reigned by the beloved Avengers.
Speaking of which, Disney Plus is now home to all MCU content. ConsideringDaredevilis joining the lineup, and with Murdock and Kingpin already introduced in separate MCU projects, it is only natural for fans to assume that the remaining independent Netflix series are being moved for a similar cause. Granted thatKrysten Ritter’s Jessica Jonesor Mike Colter’s Luke Cage have not been brought into the MCU fold just yet, the move to Disney Plus could mean a similar fate for their characters, too. It is only natural for fans to jump to conclusions, and for the studio to keep mum about the whole situation.
Daredevilwas the first independent Marvel series to premiere on Netflix, with the first episode airing in April 2015. It started a whole new trend, and establishedNetflix’s very own Marvel Universe. The streamer went on to produce five more Marvel shows, which were all interconnected in one way or another. Some characters were part of crossover episodes, such as Colter’s Cage appearing inJessica Jonesand Cox’s Daredevil crosses paths with Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, aka The Punisher.
The ultimate crossover occurred whenNetflix released The Defenders, which brought together Cox’s Murdock, Ritter’s Jones, Colter’s Cage, and Finn Jones’ Danny Rand, aka Iron Fist. Several other integral characters from the various independent series made an appearance as well. Unfortunately, the series was not received well by fans, with many disappointed with the plot line. It was among the least-watched Marvel series on Netflix, and was not picked up for another season.
Despite their varying levels of success,the independent Marvel showswere all designed to be as comic book accurate as possible. Each series had its own set of followers, who were disappointed when the studio decided to cancel the shows and end the heroes’ independent journeys. This was probably because the studio had bigger plans to launch Phase 4 of the MCU and bring a lot more content to the small screen.
In 2021, the studio releasedfive series on Disney Plus, includingWandaVision,The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,Loki,What If…?, andHawkeye, with each plot rooted into the MCU. While the independent series may have been appreciated on their own, the new content released as part of Phase 4 has received a lot more positive feedback, and fans have enjoyed watching the MCU timeline moving forward in a weekly format.
The Netflix series, on the other hand, had no impact on the future of the MCU, which could be why they weren’t received as well. Perhaps Marvel could bring life back into the independent series after they have moved to their new home. Having themstream on Disney Plus instead of Netflixcould mean that the studio has plans to either reinstate the series sometime in the future, or perhaps even introduce some of the characters into the larger MCU. Or maybe it is just their way of bringing all their content in one place, and never thinking about those characters again. Only time will tell what direction they go in. For now, Marvel is keeping the heroes close.
Daredeviland other Marvel independent series will stream on Disney Plus on June 03, 2025.
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