Netflix Continues to Make Moves

 

Netflix has been in the spotlight lately. To encapsulate all the latest news and updates from and about the streaming service, here’s a roundup!

Netflix and Marvel

The streaming service has a four-series package deal with Marvel, all starting with Daredevil’s release this past summer. “[In] the upcoming months and years — Netflix has kept quiet about the timeline — the series focusing on Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and the Iron Fist will roll out. In the final mini-series, the crew will come together Avenger-style in The Defenders.”

Many believed this deal was a gamble for Netflix, who agreed to the deal without ever even seeing a pilot for the shows. However, as this deal unfolds and with the second series of the deal, Jessica Jones,  to roll out in November, we can begin to see just how beneficial this deal will be for both companies.

For Marvel, one writer believes this deal has saved its “villain problem.” Through Daredevil’s casting of Vincent D’Onofrio as the Kingpin, Wilson Fisk, TV Cheat Sheet believes the lackluster and disappointing Marvel villains on the big screen have found some redemption on the small screen.

“As disappointing as the studio’s recent movie villains have been, Marvel’s managed to find a modicum of redemption with its fledgling Netflix empire. It began just this year with Daredevil, the noir-esque series showing off Vincent D’Onofrio as the iconic Kingpin, Wilson Fisk. D’Onofrio’s chilling performance stole the spotlight for the better part of Daredevil‘s debut season and put the character in an elite class of on-screen Marvel villains over just a few episodes.”

As the rest of the series roll out, we will see whether this redemption continues, and if the longer plot format will help round out Marvel’s villainous characters.

[MORE from Forbes and TV Cheat Sheet]

 

Jessica Jones Trailer Drops

Speaking of villains, the first full length trailer for Netflix’s Marvel’s Jessica Jones dropped on October 23. Viewers finally get a better idea of Jessica Jones’ adversary, Killgrave, played by David Tenant.

Marvel’s Jessica Jones premieres November 20 on Netflix.

 

The Punisher Returns

Writer Becky Cloonan (Demo, Gotham Academy) and Steve Dillon (Punisher MAX, Preacher) are bringing The Punisher back into action with an all-new series.

ComicBook.com had an exclusive interview with Cloonan, and she described the new series for them:

“The new series sees a normal drug bust take an unexpected turn when Frank learns that the drug creates unstable super soldiers. When Frank discovers that one of the men behind the drug is a familiar face from his military career, he digs deeper and deeper into the Northeast’s underworld…but can he find his way back?”

[MORE from CB]

 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

As Variety reports, Netflix subscribers in Canada are in for a special treat late 2016. They are currently the only territory where Netflix has the rights to stream Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

“The reason Netflix will be able to offer the much-anticipated movie in Canada next year — and not in the U.S. or anywhere else — has to do with the timing of when Disney’s pay-TV distribution deals were up for grabs. In the U.S., premium cable channel Starz has an exclusive output deal with Disney that runs through the end of 2015; Netflix’s pact with the Mouse House commences with 2016 titles. With “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” slated for Dec. 18 theatrical debut, that means Starz will be the pay-TV home for the movie in the U.S.”

[MORE from Variety]

 

The Future of Netflix

Netflix is certainly on an upward trend, despite its almost collapse back in 2011. The streaming service has seen amazing growth over the last few years and even over the last quarter. CEO Reed Hastings said that he “added 30 percent more subscribers last quarter than he was expecting, putting his total user base at 65 million.” Netflix will be in 200 countries by the end of the year, and recently released it was nominated for 34 Emmys for original content.

Fortune recently released an article on YouTube Red, Google’s new YouTube subscription service. This version of the video site comes without ads and lets users download videos, all for $10 a month. “In a nutshell, Google wants to compete with Netflix—and Hulu and HBO Go and Comcast’s Watchable—as well as Spotify and Apple Music and Pandora, all at the same time.”

YouTube Red will be adding new, more TV-style content. While YouTube won’t be competing with Netflix original programming on more traditional shows, but it will be able to capitalize on existing talent and stars for certain marketed groups. “This ranges from a video-game inspired show with YouTube’s biggest star, PewDiePie, to a feature-length comedy series from the creators of Rooster Teeth, a popular YouTube content company.”

Netflix offers, for the same monthly price, much more in comparison (at least in video) to YouTube Red. While YouTube Red will most likely be most competitive in its music streaming services, it is certainly something worth watching to see if the two services will develop a real competition over the same content and markets.

[MORE from Entrepreneur and Fortune]

 

A New Month, A New Netflix

November will see some favorites leave the streaming service, but don’t worry! There are some exciting additions as well.

Some notable comings and goings:

 

Coming to Netflix	Leaving Netflix
November 1: Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure (2011) Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce: Season 1 Idris Elba: Mandela, My Dad and Me (2015) Last Days in Vietnam (2014) The Last Time You Had Fun (2014) Robot Overlords (2015) Seven Deadly Sins: Season 1 Smithsonian Channel: The Day Kennedy Died (2013) SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, The (2004)	November 1:Batman & Robin (1997) Blues Brothers (1980) Changing Lanes (2002) Cleopatra (1963) Conspiracy Theory (1997) Core (2003) Fargo (1996) Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (2012) House of Flying Daggers (2004) Norman (2010) Rudy (1993) Saw (2004) Saw II (2005) Saw III (2006) Saw IV (2007) Saw V (2008) Scream (1996) Soul Plane (2004) Stand by Me (1986)
November 5: Amapola (2014)Amour Fou (2014)The Runner (2015)	November 5:The Perfect Stranger (2011)
November 6:Care Bears & Cousins: Season 1Master of None: Season 1	November 7:Shanghai Noon (2000)
November 12: Anna Karenina (2012)	November 9 The Road (2011)
November 15: Continuum: Season 4Jessie: Season 4People, Places, Things (2015) Soaked in Bleach (2015)
November 20Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Season 1

 

[MORE: A full list of titles coming and going from CNET]