5 Years Later, Marvel Has Finally Cracked the Code With Disney+ Shows

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Marvel’s television shows are finally hitting their stride, as seen with recent releases like Daredevil: Born Again and Wonder Man on Disney+. The upcoming show, The Punisher: One Last Kill, looks to continue this success, especially with Jon Bernthal joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe after previously appearing in several Marvel Netflix series.

Many viewers and critics have pointed out that Marvel has been releasing a lot of content on Disney+. Often, it’s felt like they’ve prioritized making more shows and movies over making high-quality ones. Shows like Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Secret Invasion, She-Hulk, and Moon Knight received mostly lukewarm reactions. But it appears Marvel may have finally found the right formula with its Disney+ series, delivering what fans were hoping for.

Marvel seems to be finding its footing with its Disney+ shows, particularly those focusing on more down-to-earth superheroes. The first season of Wonder Man was surprisingly well-received, considering the character wasn’t widely known from the comics. Now, Daredevil: Born Again is back for a second season and is impressing audiences after a first season that faced significant production challenges. With the promotion for a Punisher special starting and Wonder Man getting a second season, Marvel might be best served by continuing to focus on these street-level heroes on Disney+.

Lower Stakes Means Lower Budget

While heroes like the Guardians of the Galaxy, Shang-Chi, and Doctor Strange face huge, cosmic problems, characters such as Daredevil and the Punisher allow for stories that explore more realistic and complex issues. Shows like Daredevil: Born Again and Wonder Man focus on things like political corruption and problems within government, rather than universe-ending threats. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe tackles increasingly large-scale conflicts, these grounded heroes offer a chance for more personal, relatable stories.

Despite high production costs – reportedly $35 million per episode for shows like Secret Invasion – the show received negative reviews. In contrast, Wonder Man cost significantly less, and was so well-received that Disney+ quickly renewed it for a second season, which is unusual for Marvel shows. This suggests that focusing on more relatable, street-level heroes through shorter ‘Special Presentation’ stories or full series could be a smart strategy. Marvel fans enjoy the big cosmic stories, but they also appreciate seeing the everyday lives of heroes like Daredevil and the Punisher.

The Return of ‘Jessica Jones’ In ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2

Jon Bernthal’s Punisher isn’t the only character from the old Netflix Marvel shows heading to the main Marvel Cinematic Universe this year. Krysten Ritter will reprise her role as Jessica Jones in the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, leading many to speculate if she’ll get her own Disney+ series. With Jessica Jones coming back, fans expect Luke Cage and Iron Fist to follow suit. If that happens, the Marvel shows on Disney+ will start to look a lot like the original Netflix versions, perhaps more so than Disney+ initially planned.

Big-budget movies aren’t necessary for every Marvel hero, as Netflix demonstrated with shows like Daredevil and The Punisher. Jessica Jones, for example, focused on strong characters and wasn’t afraid to be darker and more realistic. If Marvel wants to revisit these characters, a series format would be the best way to do it.

Justice For ‘The Defenders’

When Netflix’s The Defenders first came out, it didn’t live up to expectations after years of anticipation. While it tried to follow the successful formula Marvel used to build up to The Avengers, the team-up show ultimately fell short. Now, with Daredevil: Born Again addressing some of the issues with the original Netflix series, particularly Season 3, Disney+ has a chance to properly showcase these street-level heroes. Instead of creating unnecessary spin-offs like Agatha All Along and Ironheart, focusing on reimagining these characters within the main MCU storyline would please existing fans. Daredevil: Born Again has already created a believable reason to bring the team back together, as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, is now waging war on vigilantes in New York City.

To get back on track and deliver truly great content, Marvel Television appears to be heading in the right direction with Disney+. Characters like Wonder Man have compelling personal stories that would work well as live-action shows. These smaller, more focused storylines are a smart move, allowing for creative experimentation with new characters and ideas without the massive expense of series like Secret Invasion. Viewers connect with heroes they can relate to, and it’s not always necessary for them to be on the scale of the Avengers. With Daredevil, Wonder Man, and the Punisher proving that grounded heroes fit well on Disney+, fans have reason to be optimistic about a promising future for Marvel on the platform.

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2026-03-31 14:03