Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum has been doing the interview rounds to promote ‘VisionQuest‘, but naturally, people have also been asking him about the shows Marvel has decided not to continue beyond their existing seasons. And there are a couple of fairly revealing answers, particularly when it comes to the end of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ and the rather bizarre cancellation of ‘Wonder Man’.
Speaking to Brandon Davis on the Main Character podcast, Winderbaum discussed why the Man Without Fear is heading for another television finale, why he couldn’t save one of Marvel’s best-reviewed recent series, and what really gives him the ammunition to argue for more episodes. Spoiler: enthusiastic hashtags apparently only get you so far.
Why ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Is Ending After Season 3
The announcement that ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ would finish with its third season came as a disappointment to fans, especially given how much effort went into resurrecting ‘Daredevil’ after Netflix ended its original run. However, Winderbaum insists Marvel wasn’t suddenly pulling the plug on the Disney+ revival.
“The plan was always to make a third season, to culminate it at three.”
He explained that Marvel sees the original three-season Netflix series and the three seasons of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ as two collections of stories, rather like separate sets of comic-book trade paperbacks. The idea is to bring this particular chapter of Matt Murdock’s life to a conclusion, take a break, and then consider where the character might go next.
Importantly, that isn’t confirmation of another ‘Daredevil’ series, or an appearance in a future MCU film. It does, however, suggest Marvel isn’t necessarily finished with Charlie Cox (Boardwalk Empire) as the vigilante, even if ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ itself is ending.
Season 3, which is expected in 2027, also reunites more of the old Defenders crowd, with Krysten Ritter (Breaking Bad) as Jessica Jones, Mike Colter (Evil) as Luke Cage, and Finn Jones (Game of Thrones) as Danny Rand/Iron Fist. At least Marvel is getting the gang back together before turning out the lights.
Winderbaum Says He Fought For ‘Wonder Man’
The situation with ‘Wonder Man’ is considerably stranger. The superhero-flavoured Hollywood comedy, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen) as Simon Williams and Ben Kingsley (Iron Man 3) as Trevor Slattery, debuted in January to strong reviews. Disney announced a second-season renewal in March, then reversed that decision in July. All of which is a pretty spectacular way to give a creative team whiplash.
Asked about the cancellation, Winderbaum didn’t pretend he had a neat explanation.
“I fought for it. I fought for it.”
He praised the cast and the team behind the series, including Destin Daniel Cretton and showrunner Andrew Guest, but acknowledged that enthusiasm inside Marvel wasn’t enough. As he put it, “It’s subject to market forces that I barely understand.”
This wasn’t simply a vague idea for a follow-up, either. Guest previously explained that contracts had been signed, schedules cleared, and a writers’ room was due to begin work before the decision was reversed. The cancellation also followed an Emmy nomination for Abdul-Mateen’s performance, making it particularly frustrating for the people involved.
Winderbaum says he still hopes there could be some way to revisit Simon Williams or Trevor Slattery in the future. That’s hope, though, not a secret renewal announcement. As things stand, ‘Wonder Man’ remains cancelled, and no new project featuring those characters has been announced.
Why Fan Campaigns Aren’t Enough Any More
One of Winderbaum’s more telling points concerned the power of online campaigns. The original ‘Daredevil’ fan movement helped keep interest in Matt Murdock alive after Netflix’s cancellation, but he believes the internet doesn’t carry the same weight it once did when trying to get projects made.
His message to fans was essentially that campaigning to save a show is useful, but actually watching it is more useful. What gives him leverage when arguing for a series inside Marvel, he explained, is the viewing data.
That also lines up with what Abdul-Mateen said in an August interview: he was told ‘Wonder Man’ had been cancelled for reasons connected to its viewing figures, but wasn’t given the actual numbers. So we know what reason was communicated to its star, but not how many people watched it, or what threshold Disney wanted it to reach.
For Marvel fans, the broader picture is a slightly odd one. ‘VisionQuest’ has just launched on Disney+, the new live-action spy thriller ‘Zodiac’ is planned for 2028, and Matt Murdock is getting one last season of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’. Meanwhile, a well-liked series which had already been renewed can’t get its second season off the ground.
Winderbaum clearly hasn’t given up on either character, but affection, good reviews and a noisy online fanbase aren’t guarantees of more Marvel TV. If Disney wants numbers, apparently the most superheroic thing viewers can do is press play.
‘Daredevil: Born Again‘ Season 3 premieres in 2027 on Disney+. An exact date has yet to be announced.
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