A new rumor indicates Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige will be taking over all of Marvel’s live-action programming.
The rumor comes from Variety, “According to multiple industry perceptions…the perception throughout the entertainment business is that live-action productions will be mostly if not completely moved away from Marvel Television, headed by veteran exec and producer Jeph Loeb, as Feige’s unit ramps up production on its own Marvel series projects.”
One source told them, “Feige’s shows are so far beyond anything Marvel TV has been able to do. He has access to all of these MCU characters that the other Marvel live-action stuff just doesn’t, not to mention way bigger budgets.”
However, the rumor did indicate that a Marvel TV insider informed the company has several live-action shows in various stages of development.
This rumor comes on the heels of Marvel TV cancelling the announced Ghost Rider series that was expected to debut on Hulu starring Gabriel Luna, who portrayed the Robbie Reyes version of the character on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Related: Rumor: Hulu, Marvel, and Gabriel Luna’s Ghost Rider TV Series Cancelled)
Luna confirmed the show’s cancellation on Instagram. He wrote in part, “The news was surprising, but I’ve always known that the nature of this business is that until you’re there, on the day, doing the thing it could still go away. Even then, that next day on the job ain’t guaranteed.”
However, Marvel TV still has a number of live-action shows on the docket. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is going into its seventh and final season on ABC. Runaways will be going into its third season on Hulu this December, and Cloak & Dagger just wrapped up its second season on Freeform in April. There is also the recently announced Helstrom series that is expected to premiere on Hulu. (Related: Marvel TV and Hulu to Launch Live-Action Ghost Rider and Helstrom Series)
While Marvel TV’s live-action line-up appears to be shrinking, Disney and Marvel Studios are embracing Kevin Feige’s live-action line-up for the new Disney Plus streaming service. They recently announced three new shows at Disney D23 Expo. Those shows include She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and Moonknight. They join Loki, WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye. There will also be an animated What If? TV series. (Related: Rumor: Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man 3 Cancelled, Will Be Replaced By Disney Plus Miniseries)
Feige described these shows saying, “These shows will be on the same level of quality that you’ve come to expect from Marvel Studios.” He added, “These will be both new and continuing stories, and one of the things we’re most excited about, is that these will be major storylines, set in the MCU, with ramifications that will be felt both through the other Disney Plus series we’re producing and our features on the big screen.”
What do you make of this new rumor? Do you think Marvel TV will no longer be pursuing live-action shows and out of continuity MCU shows?