Streaming services have been purging content as of late in order to cut costs and, as a result, more than a few notable titles have been shown the door. Disney+ followed suit and the result has been a bloodbath. TV shows like Big Shot, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers and The Mysterious Benedict Society have since been scrubbed. Even high fantasy show Willow was removed (in a move that its creator is “kinda into.”) One would think that certain brands would remain unaffected like Marvel. However, the company just had its first series removed from the platform this weekend.
Fans will surely be sorry to hear that Marvel’s Runaways has officially been dropped from Disney+. The series is actually a production of sister streamer Hulu, though the first season eventually became available on the House of Mouse’s flagship service when it was launched in November 2019. The young adult drama’s other two seasons were added in January 2020. Now, not only is the show not available to stream there, but it’s also been pulled from its original home at Hulu as well.
This comes as a big surprise, because the entertainment conglomerate gave no prior indication that the series was set to be dropped from both streamers. It’s a decision that speaks volumes, as it firmly solidifies the notion that no property is immune to removal. One now has to wonder what notable superhero series might find themselves on the cutting board next.
Originally conceived as a motion picture, Runaways was announced to be in the works at Hulu back in early 2017. Development was overseen by the now-defunct Marvel Television, which tapped The O.C. alums Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage to serve as producers. Based on the celebrated comic from Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian Alphona, the show centered on six former friends who reconnect after learning that their parents are members of an ancient society. The teens eventually go on the run and in time, learn that they themselves possess incredible abilities, which they use to fight against their folks. The show received mostly positive reviews upon its debut in 2017 due to its tone, characters and storytelling. It was ultimately cancelled after three seasons in 2019.
The coming-of-age show is in a unique position within Disney’s pantheon of superhero content. Though many have assumed it’s part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that’s never actually been confirmed by Kevin Feige or anyone else at the studio. So could this removal be an early indication that the company plans to revamp the property not unlike it’s planning to do with Daredevil? We want to be fair and acknowledge the loss of the series in its current form, of course. However, I’d say that it’s at least reasonable to ponder such a scenario.
There are other Marvel TV productions on Disney+ at the moment, too. Right now, ABC shows Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Inhumans are still there alongside Freeform’s Cloak & Dagger (which crossed over with Runaways) and the Defenders-related dramas that were produced by Netflix. Meanwhile, Helstrom remains situated on Hulu. One certainly hopes that these productions will continue to be available but, given the state of the streaming industry, there’s definitely some uncertainty on that front.
As a fan of Runaways, I’m honestly saddened to see that it can’t be accessed in any other legitimate place. There’s always hope that something changes, however, and it's returned to the interwebs. Until then though, fans will have to settle for episode summaries and reviews if they want insight into the live-action adventures of Alex Wilder, Nico Minoru and co.
