Netflix’s co-CEO finally revealed why itsMarvelshows were limited in scope, six years afterthe Defenders universe ended. In 2013, a massive deal was announced between Marvel and Netflix to produce shows for the streaming service that would be connected to its larger universe. The deal led to several successful shows, includingDaredevil,Jessica Jones,Luke Cage,Iron Fist,The Defenders,andThe Punisher.
While many Marvel viewers wanted shows likeDaredevilto continue, Netflix canceled all of its Marvel shows by February 2019 as Disney prepared to launch its streaming service, Disney+. Although the Netflix shows included some mystical and supernatural elements, they felt grounded and were mainly limited to containing fight sequences within New York City. They were a far cry from the big-budget superhero movies of the MCU at the time, likeThe AvengersandAvengers: Age of Ultron.
In an interview withVariety, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the streamer’s resources were limited since Disney controlled the budget. He also stated they worked with the old Marvel Television regime, which didn’t spend money freely, explaining:
Onourshows, we were dealing with the old Marvel television regime, which operated independently at Disney. And they were thrifty. And every time we wanted to make the shows bigger or better, we had to bang on them. Our incentives were not well aligned. We wanted to make great television; they wanted to make money. I thought we could make money with great television.
You want to work with people whose incentives are aligned with yours. When people are producingforyou, they’re trying to produce as cheaply as possible. My incentive is to make it as great as possible. That’s a lesson that I take forever. As producers, whatever [Marvel] didn’t spend, they kept. So every time we wanted to add something to the show to make it better, it was a fistfight.
What The Netflix Boss’s Marvel Show Comments Mean
Sarandos' comments suggest that Netflix didn’t have a great working relationship with the “old regime” of Marvel Television. When the deal was made in 2013, Marvel Studios was underthe leadership of Ike Perlmutter. While Kevin Feige was the head producer of Marvel, he still reported to Perlmutter, despite the sale of Marvel to Disney in 2009. After several clashes with Feige, Marvel Studios was removed from Perlmutter’s orbit in 2015, and Feige reported directly to Disney. However, Perlmutter remained chairman of Marvel Entertainment and was involved in Marvel’s television projects before they officially joined Marvel Studios.
Perlmutter had several other controversies during his time with Disney and Marvel before leaving in 2023. Many of them involved his own personal views, including his desire to cancel Black Panther because he didn’t believe people wanted to see a film with diverse leads. Perlmutter was also known for his strict frugality, which is likely why Sarandos and Netflix found it challenging to get the funding they wanted for its Marvel shows.
Our Take On The Netflix Boss’s Marvel Show Comments
After reading Sarandos' comments, it’s clear he’s voicing the difficulties he faced by working with Marvel Television in the politest way possible. While the deal was incredibly successful for Netflix, it eventually wasn’t worth the hassle for the streaming service to keep working with Marvel and Disney. Still, Netflix’s Marvel shows mostly succeeded despite Marvel’s frugality.Daredevilis an especially beloved superhero series, and the story’s continuation inDaredevil: Born Againis a testament to the high-quality work Netflix did.
