Daredevil and the other classic Marvel Netflix shows are coming to Disney+, and the age rating changes and new functionality will transform the platform. Back in 2013, Marvel Television entered into a partnership with Netflix that resulted in no less than 13 seasons of popular and critically-acclaimed superhero TV shows being released. On March 16, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher will finally be making the jump to Disney+ – and they’ll be transforming that platform.

It hasn’t been easy for Disney to add the old Marvel Netflix shows to Disney+. When Disney originally launched the streaming service, they were wary of putting anything too adult on there, concerned it could impact their overall brand. As a result, domestically, Disney+ has been focused on content with no higher rating than TV-14. Internationally, there’s an additional Star package, which allows viewers to access more mature content, but marketing for Star has struggled. When Star was initially added, it was marketed as an entirely separate product. Some viewers thought it was another streaming platform and others believed it was a paid add-on. Star branding still isn’t clear, even a year after its introduction in those markets.

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The old Marvel Netflix shows like Daredevil are certainly not TV-14. Rather, Marvel Netflix shows are decidedly R-rated, with brutal violence and explicit sex scenes. Even the themes and concepts explored don’t align with the traditional Disney+ brand, with Jessica Jones exploring the trauma its lead experienced after she was imprisoned and repeatedly raped. What’s more, their release on March 16 comes before Disney is ready to roll out Star in the U.S. – should it ever choose to do so – meaning they’re taking a very different approach.

How Disney+’s New Parental Controls Operate

The new functionality is pretty simple, and it seems to be modeled on the functionality installed internationally to cover Disney+ Star overseas. From March 16, when a user logs into Disney+ for the first time, they’ll be asked to update their Parental Controls. According to Disney+, “This includes the option to select content ratings restrictions for each profile, as well as to add a PIN to lock profiles, and enable a Kid-Proof Exit question for Kids Profiles.” Changing a profile to TV-MA will require confirmation with the account password, and those who activate it will see mature content – such as the Marvel Netflix shows – integrated into the Disney+ library, including on “Recommended For You” and “Trending.”

This is a natural evolution of Disney+. The streaming service launched to tremendous acclaim, but until now, its popularity has largely been based on the Marvel and Star Wars brands. Disney has an ambitious target to have between 230 to 260 million subscribers by 2024, but in order to accomplish this, it will need to grow beyond these two core franchises. There’s a marked contrast between Disney+ and its rival Netflix, which can launch entirely new franchises as diverse as Stranger Things, Bridgerton, and The Witcher, rather than depending on the strength of pre-existing brands. For Disney+ to flourish, the streaming service needs to find a way to become a launchpad for new things rather than just a continuation of older, established franchises. The change to its format should make it easier to accomplish this.

Pressure Will Build For Disney+ To Release More TV-MA Content

The new functionality will naturally increase pressure for Disney+ to become more diverse in terms of content. There’s already a discussion about how this will affect the MCU, with Deadpool 3 becoming a lot easier now – Deadpool 3 can easily release on Disney+ under the new system while retaining the previous films’ R-ratings. But the changes go beyond the evolution of the MCU to the possibility of expanding the kind of content Disney produces.

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In truth, so far, Disney has been remarkably conservative and risk-averse when it comes to commissioning content for their streaming service. This is best illustrated with the TV series Love, Victor, a spinoff for 2018’s Love, Simon that was originally supposed to release on Disney+. Disney controversially decided Love, Victor wasn’t family-friendly enough, with sources anonymously reporting there were concerns its depiction of alcohol consumption, marital issues, and sexual exploration wouldn’t work on Disney+; instead, it was moved to Hulu and became part of the Star package internationally. The Love, Victor controversy was unjustified because the coming-of-age story felt remarkably family-friendly, but Disney’s reluctance to put it on their flagship streaming service indicated just how wary they were of damaging their brand. Now, with TV-MA settings, Disney would be free to release more shows like Love, Victor domestically, allowing parents to decide whether to watch it with their kids.

Disney+’s New Functionality Is A Step Towards Merging With Hulu

The new parental controls on Disney+ feel like a step towards an inevitable future where the streaming service merges with Hulu. Disney has already taken full operational control of Hulu, using it as a home for more mature content, but Comcast still owns a 33 percent stake in that platform – a major obstacle to a merger at this time. Still, Disney has the option of buying Hulu outright by 2024 at a valuation of at least $27.5 billion, and that’s certain in the happen – meaning it’s only a matter of time before a Disney+/Hulu merger becomes a reality.

In the meantime, though, Disney faces two challenges. The first is to meet the demand for more mature content on Disney+ without damaging Hulu, given the minimum price has already been agreed – and Disney would have to pay that minimum price even if Hulu was worthless. It may be easier if Comcast chooses to sell sooner rather than later, accelerating the process, and this possibility can’t be discounted given recent reports Comcast is planning to pull NBC content from Hulu to their own Peacock platform.

The second issue, of course, is exactly how to integrate this adult content into Disney+. It’s interesting to note Disney is rolling enhanced parental controls out in the U.S. without adding Star, perhaps hinting changes in leadership have led to a different approach. Only time will tell how further mature and Hulu content is combined with Disney+, but one thing’s for certain; the addition of the Marvel Netflix shows like Daredevil clearly points the way to a very different future for Disney+.

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About The Author


Thomas Bacon
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Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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