POLL RESULTS: WHO SHOULD GET A MARVEL NETFLIX SHOW?

 Killing Timers are ahead of the curve, as usual.  As soon as we put up our poll last month asking who should be getting Marvel Netflix shows, Marvel was all over the issue.  When voting began, The Punisher was dominating with as much as 83% of the vote, but then Marvel came up with a plan for Frank Castle.  Marvel is describing season two of Dardevil as “Daredevil vs. Punisher”.  We also know that Elektra will be added to the show, the Kingpin isn’t going to stay in that cell for long and the specter of Bullseye and the classic DD/Elektra/Kingpin/Bullseye saga looms.  I can’t imagine that they can fit all of that into one season.  Frank is problem enough, plus they also set up the Owl and the Gladiator.  I hope the show-runners take their time like they did in season one and allow us to get to further know Matt, Foggy, Karen and Wilson while slowly layering on new participants to the war in Hell’s Kitchen.  But, your request has already been answered.  The Punisher is coming to the MCU.

Close behind the punisher were Moon Knight, Ghost Rider and The Winter Soldier for the second slot.  I think of these three, Moon Knight is the best fit for the tone of Hell’s Kitchen.  Marvel is hesitant to drop supernatural elements into their street-level, gritty corner of the universe.  Dr. Strange will get that playground going next year.  If Civil War goes as it does in the comics, Sebastian Stan is going to be very busy making movies, so as awesome as it would be, Winter Soldier looks off the table.  What Marvel Films honcho Kevin Feige has said is that he wants more film characters to appear in these shows and that these shows are natural growing boxes for future film franchises.  Look for a lot more crossover in character interaction as soon as Iron Fist and Luke Cage next year.

That being said, every candidate got votes with the exception of Silver Sable (what, no love for the Wild Pack?).  DD was Marvel’s House of Cards.  It set a standard.  If Jessica Jones can engage people at that level, any of the characters we listed are fair game for Netflixation.  Thanks for voting and look for this month’s poll soon!

 

POLL: WHO SHOULD GET A MARVEL NETFLIX SHOW?

I’m just finishing watching season one of Daredevil for the third time, and can’t wait for “AKA Jessica Jones” later this year and more DD, Luke Cage and Iron Fist in 2016.  It seems to me that Daredevil has more than enough story, villains and characters to support that show indefinitely.  After the first seasons of Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage, though, those characters intersect so much and have so much in common that it seems natural to me that they would combine into one show (it seems natural to make it Heroes for Hire).

That would leave two slots open for 2017 after the Defenders movie if you see Marvel sticking to a four show Netflix rotation.  Given the critical and popularity of DD, it seems like Marvel has found a perfect place to showcase their “gritty”, street-level heroes who would push a PG-13 rating and also to take the opportunity to introduce in a rich storytelling format characters that aren’t well-known to the public.

So, here are ten of Marvel’s characters that operate in the same circles as those that were chose for the first four slots.  Frankly, I don’t think Netflix has enough money to pay ScarJo to do a Black Widow show, and Sebastian Stan’s got six films left on his Marvel contract after Cap 3, so Winter Soldier seems unlikely also.  If they wanted to pass the Hawkeye mantle to Kate Bishop, or recast the character, he’d be a perfect fit (especially Matt Fraction’s recent take on the archer).

I don’t usually give my vote away, but I would say The Punisher needs deep rehab after the horrible movies.  He doesn’t fit in the MCU cinematically, but he’d be right at home in Hell’s Kitchen.  Moon Knight is one of my favorite characters, and I think he would be a perfect fit also in this grim corner of the MCU.  Vote away and tell me who you think should get their own Netflix series.  We have two slots in our hypothetical scenario, so vote twice.  Hopefully, we’ll see some footage from Jessica Jones coming our way soon.