Daredevil Canceled by Netflix
There will be no Daredevil season 4.
In a stunning move, Marvel and Netflix have confirmed that Daredevil has been canceled after three seasons. The cancellation of Daredevil follows the axe falling on Luke Cage and Iron Fist after two seasons each. But while Netflix never talks numbers, and Iron Fist was never warmly received (although its second season was quite good), Daredevil season three was generally considered to be one of the finest seasons Marvel TV has ever produced, so its end is going to raise some eyebrows.
“Marvel’s Daredevil will not return for a fourth season on Netflix,” a statement released to Deadline reads. “We are tremendously proud of the show’s last and final season and although it’s painful for the fans, we feel it best to close this chapter on a high note. We’re thankful to showrunner Erik Oleson, the show’s writers, stellar crew, and incredible cast including Charlie Cox as Daredevil himself, and we’re grateful to the fans who have supported the show over the years. While the series on Netflix has ended, the three existing seasons will remain on the service for years to come, while the Daredevil character will live on in future projects for Marvel.”
Just two weeks ago, Daredevil season 3 showrunner Erik Oleson announced that he had pitched Daredevil season 4. Even more disheartening, co-executive producer Sam Ernst tweeted that Daredevil season 4 had convened a writers room and that there was “an entire season 4 laid out – and it was so f***g cool. So many moments we wanted the fans to see.” And, I imagine, so many moments fans very much wanted to see!
The above statement then, is somewhat unclear. Does it mean that there will be no further Daredevil solo seasons, even on the upcoming Disney+ streaming service? Will Oleson be involved in whatever form a new Daredevil project takes? It seems unlikely that they’ll migrate the character and his cast to a big screen project instead.
While there’s still more Marvel TV coming to Netflix in 2019, in the form of both Jessica Jones season 3 and The Punisher season 2, the cancellation of Daredevil all but confirms that all Marvel properties are beginning the migration to Disney+, which is expected to launch at some point in 2019. Disney+ will have no shortage of Marvel TV series, with projects for Scarlet Witch, Loki, and a Winter Soldier and Falcon team-up show all confirmed.
Daredevil was the first of Marvel’s Netflix universe of street level superheroes, and it set the tone for everything that followed, including The Defenders. Jessica Jones season 3 will likely premiere on Netflix in early 2019, with The Punisher season 2 to follow. But after that, you’ll have to look elsewhere to find the heroes of Hell’s Kitchen.
Hopefully we’ll see Matt Murdock and friends again soon. Somewhere.
Mike Cecchini is the Editor in Chief of Den of Geek. You can read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @wayoutstuff.
