With the void left in the superhero genre of television after Heroes’ cancellation and Smallville in its final season, it looks like ABC and its parent company Disney are looking to be the leader in the “Televised Live-Action Superhero Adventures” category for the new decade.
Robert Iger, CEO of Disney, has confirmed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that the Disney-owned ABC and ABC Family are currently working on adapting three Marvel properties for live-action series. As we previously reported, ABC has been looking at adapting The Incredible Hulk, Cloak and Dagger, The Punisher, and other series for TV. Hit the jump for the full quote.
Following the success of No Ordinary Family, which has been performing well in the ratings and was recently picked up for a full season order, ABC may soon have some new superhero dramas to add to their lineup. Below is the full quote to the Wall Street Journal:
WSJ: In the past year-plus you’ve made two splashy acquisitions: Marvel and Playdom. How are the integrations of those two companies progressing?
Mr. Iger: [With Marvel] we’ve taken back distribution, or bought back distribution from [Viacom Inc.'s] Paramount, for some critical franchises. Notably, “Iron Man 3” will be distributed by us, and “Avengers.” We’re developing three live-action series for ABC and ABC Family. You can buy Marvel products at Disney stores. And we’re working on Marvel games.
Disney’s plan here may be to bank on the success and recognition of the characters that it introduces in these new shows to propel them into a movie role down the line. Crossovers in the Marvel—and now Disney—Universe has always been exciting, but with the properties now coming to television, it could provide a new level of depth and recognition for all characters. Who wouldn’t want to see Ryan Reynolds, in Deadpool attire, on an episode of The Hulk?
As much as I like the idea, and while I’m a fan of No Ordinary Family, despite the cheesy dialogue and character clichés, I can’t say I can fully condone it. Seeing how poorly handled superhero dramas can be (Heroes I’m looking at you), and how fast some series can be cancelled (see: Bionic Woman), I would hate to see a good Marvel property wasted on a bad TV series. That’s not to say it will be bad, but it’s hard to look at the logline for Daughters of the Dragon, a pitch being thrown around by Marvel execs, and be excited:
Daughters of the Dragon — a dynamic female duo, one with a bionic arm and the other a granddaughter of a samurai, open a private-detective agency
Sounds like a CBS procedural, a 60s afterschool cartoon special about feminism, and a very bad video game all got in a head-on collision…and decided to make a TV series about it.
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I personally need a Power Man & Iron Fist: Heroes for Hire TV RIGHT NOW.
I actually liked the Daughters of the Dragon characters, but I recall that title being played out in the 70′s or 80′s. They’ve been updated somewhat for the 21st Century. I’d rather see Heroes for Hire, which tends to include the DotD, aka Misty Knight & Colleen Wing, but also includes Luke Cage and Daniel Rand, aka Power Man & Iron Fist. I think the show needs a better ensemble than just the girls; don’t these guys remember Birds of Prey?
A Doctor Strange TV series might be interesting, if they amp up the quality beyond the sadly cancelled Dresden Files.
Captain Marvel, an alien Kree stationed on Earth to monitor human advancement and guard again Skrull invasion. Kind of a Sci-Fi/Space mystery-thing.
Tales of the Warriors Three (if Thor is a big enough hit).
The Defenders … if they’re looking for a more ‘heroic’ and less ‘gritty’ show than Heroes for Hire.
The Eternals … the ‘gods’ awaken across the globe, but none know why they were trapped in mortal forms.
They could even try a series of TV Movies (Marvel Adventures?) to test out which characters might have staying power, similar to how they came up with Hercules, which spun off into Xena.
What really gets on my nerves is that a synopsis from Daughters of the Dragon can be taken seriously just because the idea came from somebody from within the business, in plain text, its a crap idea.
So many movie fans have so many truly original action, adventure and horror stories just waiting to be made into a movies, but they decide to go with a movie about ‘a dynamic female duo, one with a bionic arm and the other a granddaughter of a samurai, open a private-detective agency’, what a load of shite.
Yeah, not to mention Dr Strange would make a perfect show, it would be like a Marvel X-files/Twin Peaks
@ Jake
agreed, if they make quality series that have the cinematic look and scope of Lost… , and put said series in the current marvel movie continuity then that would be ridiculously awesome. There’s no way that the Punisher series would end up on ABC though.
@ dave
decent ideas, but Doctor Strange needs to be a movie. He, and we, deserve it. I feel like you could actually make a way better hulk series than doctor strange.
sorry, current marvel “movie” continuity.
I would welcome a DS movie … which they can then turn into a series.
I like the Hulk, but he’s kind of been done … a lot. Maybe the Hulk in a Defenders ensemble or something, but I just can’t see it being that interesting without a different twist to it.
Personnally I’d want them to look to Twin Peaks, Deadwood, Boardwalk Empire, Eastbound and down even for how to make a Marvel comics show NOT lost. Isn’t that basically saying “hey make it like a hacky tv show that rips everything off from other, more cinematic shows?” thats the problem with modern superhero tv, it is all like lost.
I suppose it all comes down to how true you want the characters and stories to remain to the comics that gave them life. While all the ideas have potential, I would hope Marvel would seek to create its own style and substance with a newer breed of super hero shows that not only explore the adventure, but the challenges and spirit behind what it is to be a hero. There are a lot of potential stories and view points, and I think all have some degree of merit.
Hulk has already been done though! The Marvel universe is SOO expansive that they should do something else!!
‘Who wouldn’t want to see Ryan Reynolds, in Deadpool attire, on an episode of The Hulk?’
How about Deadpool getting his very own show! That’d be wicked as!
Also, whats up with all the Heroes trashing? Ill admit it went downhill after the writers-strike, but still…quality TV! Better than Smallville anyhow.
Whatever happened to new ideas and creativity rather than recycling old stories ad infinitum? Perhaps they’ll give it the standard Hollywood “re-imagining” which means more violent, brutal, anti-human, etc.
While I agree that we could use new ideas and creativity, I also don’t see anything wrong with reintroducing classic characters and ideas to a 21st Century audience. Unfortunately, most attempts to create new heroic icons have generally failed. For whatever reason, the classics endure.
As we are talking about Marvel Universe characters, it seems like the ideas and discussions are on track. Do you want them to create a new Marvel Universe character franchise? Would you have a whole new ‘universe’ or would you set the character in the one they are creating via the connections written into the various movies?
Anythinng, when boiled down to one line, can sound poor.
Daughters of the Dragon are FANTASTIC characters.
Agreed, especially when you consider their recent appearances in the Iron Fist reboot and a few other Marvel storylines. While they are not always written to perfection, they have the potential to be very compelling characters.
I see a string of Marvel properties going down in flames as network shows. What would work better would be a Showtime or HBO type deal, especially for a character like the Punisher.
While it’s certainly possible that any and all attempts might very well crash & burn, I would rather see them take a shot at it than lose the opportunity.
I agree that Showtime & HBO could certainly deliver on some shows – Punisher being perfectly suited for their audience – but, I also think most of Marvel’s characters need to be mainstreamed for a wider audience.
Call me crazy, but I can see the Punisher as an AMC show. They’ve done absolutely great with Walking Dead, Mad Men, and even Breaking Bad.
You’re Crazy. But … I agree … Walking Dead ROCKS!