This came later in the evening last night, while I was in the middle of playing Spider-Man before bed (half-way through now!), but it’s big news and must be talked about.

Marvel Studios proper is looking to get into the streaming game, and with Disney about to launch its own dedicated service, this looks to be the perfect opportunity to really draw some eyes and subscription dollars over.

According to Variety, Kevin Feige and company and developing series centered on characters that have not yet gotten their own solo feature within the MCU, and the report specifically cites both Loki and Scarlet Witch as among the early projects that are being worked on, and it’s expected that both Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen would reprise their roles for these respective series.

While Marvel has been actively involved in television since the debut of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and have had a toe-hold in streaming since their deal with Netflix for the various Defenders series, it should be noted that facet of Marvel is Marvel Television specifically and is uniquely divorced from the work being done by their film counterparts at Marvel Studios. The report cites that this effort will instead be overseen by the film division, which is under Feige’s purview (and has a much better success rate in its adaptations…I mean, remember Inhumans?).

It’s a tough market to really make a dent in, as streaming providers keep popping up with just enough content to tempt you (CBS All Access, DC Universe) and the giants in the field (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon) have a number of must-watch shows that are racking up awards. But with Disney being the overlord of everyone’s favorite IP, they stand a better chance than most – especially with the above effort, a live-action Star Wars series, a show based on High School Musical, a massive library of animated content and more.

All I know is this…if we’re looking at Avengers that haven’t gotten a solo film strictly, there are three runs prime for adaptation:

Journey into Mystery (Gillen/Braithwaite) – while it focuses on Kid Loki, I’m sure there’s some way, shape, or form you could shoehorn Hiddleston as a regular presence in the series, partnering him with a young version of himself on an epic quest through the various corners of Marvel’s mythological pantheon.

Hawkeye (Fraction/Aja) – It probably would require some major Hawkeye retooling (as he’s married with kids in the films), but Clint vs the “tracksuit Draculas” is tailor-made for television, and the series episodic approach provides a perfect guideline to follow.

The Vision (King/Walta) – The most acclaimed Marvel run since Hawkeye, Paul Bettany would kill in this domestic/creepy as hell take on Vision and the family he creates to fit into the idyllic suburban life.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments with your suggestions, I’d love to hear them.

3 COMMENTS

  1. I mean you just picked three of the best Storylines out of Marvel in the past 5 years or so :-p So yea, that would be awesome :-p

  2. The real question is whether ANY Marvel movies (or Star Wars movies) will be released to theaters after Disney’s streaming platforms begin. Or will they get just a token theatrical release on a few screens in big cities.

    Disney clearly sees streaming as the future of entertainment — not theatrical, and not cable or network TV either. That’s why they’re acquiring Fox — to have a big library of stuff to stream.

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