A new rumor claims that it was Marvel that decided to pull the plug on Daredevil, and not Netflix as previously believed. Following the cancellation of Luke Cage and Iron Fist, fans were surprised to learn that the Charlie Cox-led show is also no longer pushing forward after running for three seasons. This came on the heels of a brilliant third outing, which has been hailed by critics and fans alike to be the best among everything that the partnership has offered thus far.
While the latest season finale was crafted in a way that can also double as a series ending, the public was also looking forward to more stories for the character given what they were able to deliver this year. In fact, co-producer Sam Earnst even shared that they had already laid out the plans for a fourth outing just a couple of weeks after showrunner Erik Oleson revealed that he's pitched the new season to Netflix. However, a new rumor suggests that in the end, it wasn't the streaming giant who gave the final verdict on the show.
Related: Marvel's Daredevil Writer Says They Thought It Was ‘Too Big to Fail’
According to Collider's Steven Weintraub, the decision to cancel Daredevil came directly from Marvel and not Netflix. Sadly, he didn't give any specifics about the reason why. It's important to note, however, that the source itself tagged this bit of information for now as a rumor, as he admits he "can't second source" it. Nonetheless, fans have varying opinions on the matter, most of them pointing out that Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos has already come out and confirmed that it's their call on whether or not to push through with their collaborative projects with Marvel.
If true, this makes Daredevil's cancellation instantly more controversial than Iron Fist's and Luke Cage's. While Netflix is notoriously known for not releasing viewership ratings, data from a third party source claims that the Marvel TV's Netflix branch has been suffering consistent audience rating decline - so much so that ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. which runs weekly as opposed to one-drops for its streaming siblings, is apparently more popular. This gives Netflix valid reason to pull the plug on these shows. That said, following a praised third season, many were hoping that it would be enough incentive to keep the Cox-led show on the air for at least one more season.
Should this really be the case, it makes sense why the canceled Netflix Marvel TV series (especially Daredevil despite its quality content) won't be moving to Disney Plus. The cancellations seem like a move to build a small screen branch that is already embedded in the MCU's existing lore with the upcoming Loki, Scarlet Witch, as well as Falcon and Bucky spin-offs. It's no secret that the only thing hindering the cancellation of Jessica Jones and The Punisher at this point is because both shows have their upcoming seasons on the docket. But once those are out, the remaining series will likely also go off the air.
More: Marvel Releases Official Statement On Daredevil Cancellation
Source: Steven Weintraub