Marvel TV fans got some shocking news recently with the cancellation of not one but two series. Now, there's big news about the future of Marvel TV. This time, it's not a cancellation. Popular MCU heroes Falcon and Winter Soldier are reportedly being set up for a TV series of their own on the Disney streaming service. Here's what we know.
Falcon and Winter Soldier (Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, respectively) haven't been the best of friends in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but their dynamic has delivered a combination of action, intensity, and humor. The potential of a team-up series between the two should excite fans everywhere. Variety reports that Empire writer and co-executive producer Malcolm Spellman is slated to write the series. Spellman's attachment marks the first potential Marvel show for the Disney streaming service to land a writer.
Now, neither Marvel nor Disney has commented on the reports of a Falcon/Winter soldier project, so there's a shortage of official details at the moment. We can say that the project is not yet guaranteed to make it to the streaming service, as it is technically only in development. The prospect of such a series is especially interesting given the fates of both characters at the end of Avengers: Infinity War.
Depending on when this series is set if it does go into production, it may mean that hopes for either Winter Soldier or Falcon to take on the mantle of Captain America after Steve Rogers will come to nothing. The two getting a series doesn't necessarily mean that neither can be the new Cap, but fans may want to reconsider their speculation about Captain America 2.0.
There's also the point that when the shows featuring big MCU stars were first announced, it was reported that fan favorites who did not get their own movies would be the ones to star in their own series, with Loki and Scarlet Witch being specifically named. If either Winter Soldier or Falcon was to become to next Captain America, they would likely get their own movie. At this point, the series are slated to be limited and run for six to eight episodes each.
The Winter Soldier/Falcon news isn't all that's worth getting excited about with regard to Marvel series on the Disney streaming service. Slashfilm reports that Paul Bettany will reprise his role as Vision to appear in a Scarlet Witch series. These two heroes also perished in Infinity War, so it should be interesting to see when the show is set. They had time together prior to the events of Infinity War; could Wanda's series be set before the latest Avengers movie?
We'll have to wait and see. It'll likely be quite a while before any of the Marvel limited series debut on the Disney streaming service, and not just because the streaming service has not yet received an official launch date. The good news is that there are plenty of Marvel offerings on Netflix, even if Iron Fist and Luke Cage got the axe.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be back in 2019, and my money is certainly on more S.H.I.E.L.D. before any of the MCU movie heroes get their own limited series. For some viewing options between now and the next Marvel release, swing by our fall TV premiere schedule.
