Game-Changing Marvel Move: Showrunner Power-Up for Upcoming Disney+ Series

The Big Picture

Marvel Studios has realized the need to change their approach to developing television series and will now hire showrunners for their shows moving forward.

Marvel used to depend on studio executives and make adjustments to their TV projects through reshoots and post-production, which was a different approach from their process for feature films. This inconsistency, coupled with the firing of creative personnel during the course of projects, has had a detrimental effect on certain shows, like Secret Invasion, resulting in unfavorable reviews from critics.

Earlier today, it was reported that Marvel Studios will halt production of Daredevil: Born Again due to their dissatisfaction with Chris Ord and Matt Corman's creative vision for the Devil Without Fear. The Hollywood Reporter revealed that this decision prompted the studio to realize the need for a new approach to developing television series, starting with the hiring of showrunners for their future projects. Prior to this, Marvel relied on studio executives to oversee the development of their television division, relying on reshoots and post-production to rectify any issues they encountered.

Marvel's approach to television differed from their development process for feature films and industry standards for television series. In the past, the studio would film entire seasons of shows, each costing $150 million, without first shooting a pilot to assess the story's tone and character dynamics. Additionally, they frequently replaced the creatives who had been working on a project for about a year in order to pursue a different direction for the storyline.

Image via Marvel Studios

Just like it happened with Jeremy Slater during the production of Moon Knight, Kyle Bradstreet was let go from Secret Invasion after spending a year developing scripts for the series. However, when Brian Tucker was brought in to replace him, the production of the series fell behind schedule, putting the studio at risk of losing some of its cast members who had prior commitments to other productions. As a result, this Marvel Cinematic Universe series received the worst reception from critics thus far, highlighting the lack of supervision from inception to the finalized and ready-for-release season.

The Future of Marvel Television

Jessica Gao's work on the post-production of She-Hulk has convinced Marvel Studios of the necessity of hiring showrunners. When discussing the studio's strategy to collaborate with showrunners, Brad Winderbaum, Marvel's Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, stated: "We have not only become comfortable with the term but also learned to embrace it." Additionally, the studio plans to hire executives who will exclusively focus on their television division, rather than borrowing from their film executives.

Reportedly, Marvel Studios is shifting away from creating limited series and instead focusing on developing shows that can span multiple seasons to allow for proper character development. Winderbaum further emphasized that television series should have substance beyond their connection to other projects or their potential inclusion in an Avengers film. Currently, the studio is airing the second season of Loki, with Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as the God of Mischief.