'The Defenders' Good for One Season Only? Marvel TV's Jeph Loeb Reveals Why, Dishes on The Punisher's Status
As "The Defenders" marks its debut on Netflix this August, Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb revealed that this might be the one and only time the four heroes will band together. A second season renewal will likely not be in the cards.
In an interview with Collider during the San Diego Comic-Con, Loeb admitted that he's not sure if "The Defenders" will earn a follow-up after the first season drops on Netflix. Loeb said that they have not yet explored this possibility for now.
"I don't know that there will be a 'Defenders 2,'" Loeb said.
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He added that putting the show together, along with the solo series for "Daredevil," "Jessica Jones," "Luke Cage" and "Iron Fist," has been a "culmination of a dream."
After the launch of "The Defenders," Marvel will also debut "The Punisher" on Netflix. Loeb hinted that the character of The Punisher/Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) won't be in "The Defenders" season 1 and just the same, he doesn't have any idea if The Punisher will be in the second season.
"I think one of the things that is unique to The Punisher, and particularly to Jon Bernthal's performance, is that the character can stand alone," he said. "[But] I'm not saying that it couldn't happen and I'm not saying that it wouldn't happen."
Meanwhile, "The Defenders" season 1 will only have eight episodes compared to the usual 13 episodes that the four series have churned out per season. Loeb believes that the decision to truncate the series works best since the characters on "The Defenders" already have solo shows. An eight-episode offering will prevent the superheroes' stories from becoming bloated.
Early reviews for "The Defenders" have been mixed. IGN commended the four lead characters' chemistry, while USA Today stated the superheroes are better off going solo.
"The Defenders" will debut on Netflix on Friday, Aug. 18. The show stars Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones), Mike Colter (Luke Cage) and Finn Jones (Iron Fist).
