Marvel has pulled the plug on their overall deals with The Punisher showrunner Steve Lightfoot and Helstrom showrunner Paul Zbyszewski. The Punisher, which starred Jon Bernthal as the titular anti-hero, ran for two seasons on Netflix before being cancelled along with the streamer's other Marvel shows. Meanwhile, Helstrom has yet to officially debut. The series, which will star Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon, is set to premiere on Hulu at some point in the future. Filming for season 1 wrapped last month just ahead of countless productions shutting down as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The television side of Marvel has undergone some drastic restructuring in the last year. As a result of Marvel TV being absorbed by Kevin Feige's Marvel Studios, almost all of the ongoing Marvel television shows were cancelled. The first Marvel TV show, Agents of SHIELD, will also be the last to complete its run with season 7 arriving next month. Helstrom and the animated series MODOK and Hit Monkey are the only shows to remain. At the same time, Marvel is looking to Disney+ to revitalize its television side by developing shows focused on characters from the movies. The first to arrive will be The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which as of right now is supposed to premiere on the streamer in August.

Related: How All Of Netflix's Marvel Shows Ended (& What Would Have Happened Next)

Today THR announced Marvel has decided to cut ties with both Lightfoot and Zbyszewski, likely as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Both had overall deals with Marvel, and while Lightfoot had only worked on The Punisher for the studio, Zbyszewski previously was a part of Agents of SHIELD. Zbyszewski will still be allowed to finish post-production work on the first season of Helstrom according to sources, as Marvel itself did not comment on the matter.

Lightfoot and Zbyszewski's departures seem to be a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced studios and networks to cut back on costs. Marvel has already been impacted by the pandemic through production shutdowns for films like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Additionally, the studio has shifted release dates for most of its Phase 4 movies, with Black Widow being the first to be delayed from May to November of this year.

The pandemic has hit the entertainment industry hard in recent weeks. With movie theaters shut down and productions unable to resume work, things largely seem to be at a standstill. Marvel's parent company, Disney, has been forced to furlough many employees, and they're hardly the only company to  do so. Streaming services seem like the only places that might be finding some success during this time, which could bode well for Helstrom's arrival, provided it happens soon. As of right now, however, things remain uncertain.

More: How Marvel’s Slate Has Changed (& Why It’s So Shocking)

Source: THR

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