James R | On 01, Mar 2022

Marvel’s Defenders series will officially arrive on Disney+ in the UK this month, after their departure from Netflix.

The Defenders was a crossover series that brought together four of Hell Kitchen’s heroes, each of whom had their own solo outings: Daredevil, played by Charlie Cox, Jessica Jones, played by Krysten Ritter, Luke Cage, played by Mike Colter, and Iron Fist, played by Finn Jones. The run of series was successful enough to also spark a spin-off solo outing for The Punisher (Jon Bernthal).

Originally launched on Netflix, right up until Jessica Jones’ third season in 2019, the partnership between the streamer and the comics giant has since officially dissolved – in the past year, some of the Defenders have had cameo appearances in the MCU, cementing their transition from Netflix exclusives to Disney-owned franchises.

Now, they’re completing that move with their arrival on Disney+ UK this month. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders and The Punisher will all be included as part of the Marvel channel on the streaming service, not only in the UK but also in Ireland, Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand.

 

Marvel’s Defenders series start move to Disney+

25th February 2022

Marvel’s Defenders series are on the move to Disney+ – at least, they’re starting to pack their bags.

The Defenders was a crossover series that brought together four of Hell Kitchen’s heroes, each of whom had their own solo outings: Daredevil, played by Charlie Cox, Jessica Jones, played by Krysten Ritter, Luke Cage, played by Mike Colter, and Iron Fist, played by Finn Jones. The run of series was successful enough to also spark a spin-off solo outing for The Punisher (Jon Bernthal).

Originally launched on Netflix, right up until Jessica Jones’ third season in 2019, the partnership between the streamer and the comics giant has since officially dissolved – in the past year, some of the Defenders have had cameo appearances in the MCU, cementing their transition from Netflix exclusives to Disney-owned franchises.

In an official announcement when Daredevil and the other series had all been cancelled, Marvel TV hinted that it might not be a permanent goodbye to the Hell’s Kitchen heroes, saying: “Our Network partner may have decided they no longer want to continue telling the tales of these great characters… but you know Marvel better than that. As Matthew Murdock’s Dad once said, ‘The measure of a man is not how he gets knocked to the mat, it’s how he gets back up.’ To be continued…!”

Meanwhile, the series are making their first steps into the Disney+ streaming fold, with one website reporting that the shows will be arriving on Disney+ in Canada. There, they will be part of the “Star” brand, which is Disney’s adult-friendly section of its platform that exists in the UK, Canada and other international markets where Hulu isn’t available.

At present, there is no confirmation that the series will arrive on the same day in the UK, with Disney’s official listings for March notably not including the Defenders. All that Disney sources have confirmed to us is that the rights have reverted to Disney, after Netflix’s licence deal ended, and that additional details for the UK and other countries are “forthcoming”. With Canada a couple of steps ahead, though, the streaming future looks promising for the Hell’s Kitchen heroes. They depart Netflix at midnight on 28th February.

 

From Daredevil to Luke Cage: Marvel series depart Netflix

14th February 2022

Marvel’s Netflix series are getting ready to bid farewell, with the superhero quartet of The Defenders departing this month.

The Defenders was a crossover series that brought together four of Hell Kitchen’s heroes, each of whom had their own solo outings: Daredevil, played by Charlie Cox, Jessica Jones, played by Krysten Ritter, Luke Cage, played by Mike Colter, and Iron Fist, played by Finn Jones. The run of series was successful enough to also spark a spin-off solo outing for The Punisher (Jon Bernthal).

With Disney launching its own subscription streaming service, however, Marvel’s relationship with Netflix came grinding to a halt, with each of the superhero shows cancelled one by one, ahead of Jessica Jones’ third season debuting in 2019.

In an official announcement, Marvel TV hinted cryptically that it might not be a permanent goodbye, saying: “Our Network partner may have decided they no longer want to continue telling the tales of these great characters… but you know Marvel better than that. As Matthew Murdock’s Dad once said, ‘The measure of a man is not how he gets knocked to the mat, it’s how he gets back up.’ To be continued…!”

Since then, cameos in Marvel properties have given some of the Defenders cast a chance to reprise their roles, which suggests that Marvel will continue to fold the Netflix stars into the MCU as and when it suits. For now, though, it’s a farewell from our screens to the Hell’s Kitchen quintet, with Netflix UK displaying a warning to subscribers that The Defenders, Daredevil, Iron Fist, The Punisher, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage will all be removed on 28th February.

That means you can expect them to appear on Disney+ in the near future – although, of course, there’s been no official confirmation of that yet. In the meantime, for those who don’t have Disney+, you have approximately 14 days to catch up with 13 seasons and 161 episodes.

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