Marvel fans have a reason to be angry these days. With the cancellations of Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Daredevil on Netflix, passionate viewers are seething. Not only are people angry, but Daredevil star Charlie Cox is equally unhappy with his show being given the ax. Right one cue, social media campaigns and a #SaveDaredevil Petition have started to pop up.
In a recent interview when asked about the fan petitions, Cox stated:
“Just thank you. Just, thank you, and it’s so cool that people care that much, and it’s difficult because I love the character so much, I love the show so much that I’m feeling the same feelings. I’m feeling the disappointment, I’m feeling the sadness, I’m feeling the anger about it and I’m trying not to…I don’t wanna get my hopes up, because obviously, I know that an online petition doesn’t necessarily mean anything’s gonna happen, but also, you hope that in this day and age the people who make those decisions do listen to what’s going on online and if we make a big enough splash then maybe something can be done.”
Fans have made a difference in the past. Shows like Jericho, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Expanse were saved by vigilant viewers. Jericho was given a second season to wrap things up, Nine-Nine was resurrected by NBC, and Amazon swooped in to save The Expanse. Fan campaigns don’t always work, however. Journeyman, Pushing Daisies, and Moonlight were all unsuccessfully resurrected by faithful viewers.
It was not a huge shock that Iron Fist got canceled, but Luke Cage’s demise came as a gut punch to fans. Daredevil was thought to be safe, but with its cancellation after the third season premiere, fans realized no show is safe. Response to The Defenders was not as great as Netflix had hope. This could be a part of why the streaming service is cleaning house. The cost to Netflix for these shows is also quite high and might not be worth keeping around. As of now Jessica Jones and The Punisher are safe.
As Disney gets set to Launch Disney+ later this year, they might be looking to reign in all their properties. Perhaps Daredevil will find new life on the Disney platform, but only time will tell. In the meantime, fans will try their best to keep Matt Murdock patrolling the streets.