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Netflix's canceled Marvel shows? Disney may revive them after all

In an interview, the head of Disney+ says resurrecting the likes of Daredevil, Iron Fist and Luke Cage is a possibility.

Joan E. Solsman Former Senior Reporter
Joan E. Solsman was CNET's senior media reporter, covering the intersection of entertainment and technology. She's reported from locations spanning from Disneyland to Serbian refugee camps, and she previously wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. She bikes to get almost everywhere and has been doored only once.
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Joan E. Solsman
2 min read
The character of Daredevil stand in front of a neon sign holding his walking cane.

Netflix canceled its original production of Marvel's Daredevil last month. 

 Nicole Rivelli/Netflix

Maybe Daredevil, Iron Fist and Luke Cage will live to fight another day. 

Kevin Mayer, the Disney executive in charge of the company's planned Netflix-rival streaming service called Disney+, said he'd consider reviving the programs, according to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. 

"We haven't yet discussed that, but I would say that's a possibility," he said of resurrecting the canceled series he called "very high-quality shows." 

Netflix declined to comment. 

Disney, which is taking over major parts of 21st Century Fox, is aiming to build a Hollywood fortress with the resources to battle deep-pocketed tech-media companies like Netflix. Disney's plan to launch a competing streaming service has turned the company's relationship with Netflix on its head. After this year, Disney will mostly disappear from Netflix. 

Watch this: Every Stan Lee Marvel movie cameo

Since 2016, Netflix has been the first place to watch Disney's movies with a subscription. That deal made Netflix the go-to place for the biggest US blockbusters of the last three years. The top two movies of 2017 and the top three movies of 2016 and 2018 were all from Disney. Netflix has been the place to binge them all. But Disney decided against renewing that Netflix deal as it plotted its own competitor. So starting with Disney's 2019 slate of movies, all those films are destined for Disney+. 

But Netflix's Marvel Defenders shows are complicated. Netflix has put out five original series based on Defenders' characters in partnership in with Disney. This year, Netflix canceled three of them: Daredevil, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. But the terms of their original deal could restrict Disney+ from any revivals until 2020, according to a report. 

At the same time, Netflix still has subsequent seasons of other Defenders series -- Jessica Jones and The Punisher -- set to come out in 2019. So some of the Defenders gang is staying at Netflix for the time being. 

Marvel, like Star Wars ' Lucasfilm and Pixar, are part of Disney. They'll all be packaged into the new streaming service. The service will also include its own exclusive originals. They'll include a live-action, big-budget Star Wars TV series called The Mandalorian, being developed by Jon Favreau; a Star Wars Rogue One prequel TV series, starring Diego Luna, and a live-action Marvel series focused on Avengers character Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston. 

First published Dec. 18 at 10:16 a.m. PT. 
Update on Dec. 19 at 8:01 a.m. PT: Adds more context. 

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