MARVEL/Netflix’s 60-episode “The Defenders” Officially Confirmed
What has been widely circulated for the last few months formally became a reality Wednesday as Governor Andrew Cuomo formally inked a deal with Marvel Entertainment to shoot the upcoming Netflix “The Defenders” mini-series collection in New York City, as reported by the New York Daily News. It was also formally confirmed that the project will last a total of 60 episodes, with each mini-series taking up 13 episodes apiece.
“New York is where the entertainment industry started, and this unprecedented commitment from Disney and Marvel is further evidence that we’re bringing it back bigger and better than ever before,” Governor Cuomo said in an official statement. “And when the entertainment industry thrives, it fuels dozens of other industries and businesses. The competition for these projects is fierce and Disney could have chosen to film these shows anywhere, but they knew that shooting in New York means getting to work with the best in world. These shows bring New York’s superheroes home where they belong – along with hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in new business.”
Marvel Entertainment President Alan Fine also expressed excitement that the series will shoot in New York City. “We thank the Governor and the great state of New York for helping us create the ultimate backdrop to this epic series. Setting our production in New York City truly underscores the authenticity and excitement we plan to bring to The Defenders and their ‘flawed heroes of Hell’s Kitchen’ stories.”
There is a firm order to the filming of the 60-episode series. First up is “Daredevil”, who perhaps has the strongest name recognition of all of the heroes involved. Second is “Jessica Jones”. Third is “Iron Fist”. Concluding is “Luke Cage”. After those four series, a final “Defenders” series reuniting all of the heroes together will be commissioned, bringing the saga to a close. The series will begin airing in 2015, but it’s likely that the filming and airing process will take years. Fans can also expect casting and crew announcements for all four series before the end of 2014 as well, especially as the chances are strong there will be many crossovers between the four mini-series before the “Defenders” finale.
As part of the deal, Netflix becomes the exclusive U.S. subscription service for all Disney live-action and animated films starting with Disney’s 2016 theatrical releases. Every brand under Disney will be part of this agreement.