Ever since Disney first announced their upcoming Disney+ streaming service, Netflix subscribers and marvel fans knew the day was coming, when all their shows would be taken off of Netflix. Netflix canceled "Daredevil," "Luke Cage," and "Iron Fist" last year, and now "The Punisher" and "Jessica Jones" have been canceled as well.
Deadline reports that the two shows have been canceled by Netflix, leaving no third season for "The Punisher," but the third season of "Jessica Jones" will still air on Netflix later this year, but will be the final season of the show on the streaming platform.
Krysten Ritter has been playing Jessica Jones for two seasons and made appearances in Marvel's other shows including "The Defenders," and "Luke Cage."
'The Punisher' cancelation was expected
The latest season of "The Punisher" debuted exactly one month from today. Jon Bernthal took on the role of Frank Castle, who is a vigilante who goes on a one-man war against the mob, after the death of his wife and children. Entertainment insiders and fans have been expecting a cancelation for some time now.
Bernthal recently signed onto "The Sopranos" prequel "The Many Saints of Newark." With Bernthal tied up with that project, Netflix determined it was better to cancel the series now instead of waiting for Bernthal to finish up that project.
Inverse reports People expected "The Punisher" to be canceled but not "Jessica Jones," given the third season has been completed. Ritter plays an ex-superhero with superhuman strength, who suffers from PTSD. She decides to open up her own detective agency called Alias Investigations. As the cancelation was becoming a reality, fans were hoping that the show would join the Disney+ library of content. Now that fans are aware of the cancellation, they will now sit back and appreciate the show's final story.
The Marvel-Netflix deal is dead
As Netflix canceled both "The Punisher" and "Jessica Jones," the Marvel TV deal with Netflix is essentially over. The joint arrangement started in 2013 when Disney provided Netflix with four live-action shows based on Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, all which would culminate in a Defenders miniseries.
Disney has not said whether they will save any of the current Marvel characters. The Disney+ streaming platform is already developing several original shows, including one based on Loki, and one centered around the Scarlett Witch. It's possible that "The Punisher" and "Jessica Jones" could end up on another network, perhaps Hulu. However, if Disney wanted to reintroduce these characters again, it would be with new actors and writers.