The first television series in the MCU wasAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D., developed byThe Avengers (2012) writer/directorJoss Whedon for Marvel Television and ABC. StarringClark Gregg asPhil Coulson, reprising his role from the films, the series debuted in September 2013 and ran for seven seasons until August 2020.Marvel Studios was involved inAgent Carter, withHayley Atwell reprising her role ofPeggy Carter from the films, which ran for two seasons from January 2015 to March 2016.Inhumans, a project intended as an MCU film that was redeveloped as a series withIMAX Corporation, was released in 2017. A version of the series' first two episodes were released in IMAX theaters before the series' ABC premiere.Inhumans starredAnson Mount and was canceled after a single season.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. debuted to strong ratings for ABC, but these steadily dropped and all three series ultimately became modest ratings performers. Reviews forS.H.I.E.L.D. compared it unfavorably to the MCU films at first, but these improved and the response toAgent Carter was more positive.Inhumans was not well received. Marvel and ABC attempted to develop several more series together, including a spin-off fromS.H.I.E.L.D. calledMarvel's Most Wanted, a comedy based on theDamage Control comics, and a drama centered on theEternals. Development on any future series was halted when Marvel Television was folded into Marvel Studios in December 2019, though ABC remained committed to featuring Marvel content and began discussions with Marvel Studios for a new series shortly after.
By July 2012,Marvel Television had entered into discussions withABC to create a show set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).[1] In August, ABC ordered apilot for a series calledS.H.I.E.L.D., developed byJoss Whedon who wrote and directed the MCU filmThe Avengers (2012);[2] the series was renamedAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. when it was officially picked up by ABC.[3] Another MCU-based series,Agent Carter, was announced in January 2014 as joiningAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. at ABC.[4] In November 2016, Marvel andIMAX Corporation announcedInhumans, based on the speciesof the same name, after a planned film based on the characters had been removed fromMarvel Studios' release slate.[5][6][7] The first two episodes of the series were set to premiere inIMAX theaters in September 2017 for two weeks, before airing on ABC with the remainder of the series.[5] The deal was initially suggested to Marvel by IMAX after they had held a successful IMAX event withGame of Thrones in 2015.Ben Sherwood, president ofDisney–ABC Television Group, described it as a "quadruple win—a win for IMAX, a win for Marvel, a win for ABC Studios and a win for ABC to launch a show in an innovative way and get attention" in an increasingly crowded market. Sherwood hoped that this would be the first of "several innovative ways to launch [television] programming".[8]
Discussing Marvel Television's wider slate of series in August 2019, Marvel Television headJeph Loeb explained that Marvel categorized its ABC series as the "Marvel Heroes" series due to their close connections to the MCU films, especially with the main characters of bothAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. andAgent Carter having originated in films before transitioning to their television series.[9] In December 2019, after Marvel Studios began developing its own television series for the streaming serviceDisney+, Marvel Television was folded into Marvel Studios and development on future Marvel Television series halted. Despite this, ABC remained committed to featuring Marvel content,[10] and ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke said in January 2020 that the network was beginning talks withKevin Feige and Marvel Studios about what a potential Marvel Studios series on ABC would be.[11]
(L to R) Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen and Jeffrey Bell serve as the showrunners forAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
AgentPhil Coulson assembles a small team ofS.H.I.E.L.D. agents to handle strange new cases.[16] After the terrorist organizationHydra is discovered to have infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Coulson and his team must rebuild the organization and restore trust from the government and public.[17] Now working in secret, Coulson and his team come into contact with theInhumans, a race ofsuperhumans.[18] After the defeat of the InhumanHive, and with Hydra destroyed, S.H.I.E.L.D. is made a legitimate organization once again. Coulson and the team face more enhanced people and threats, includingRobbie Reyes / Ghost Rider andLife Model Decoys.[19] Coulson and members of his team are eventually abducted to the future, where they must try and save humanity while figuring out how to get home.[20]
In August 2012, ABC ordered apilot for a show calledS.H.I.E.L.D., to be written by Joss Whedon,Jed Whedon, andMaurissa Tancharoen, and directed by Joss Whedon.[2] Later renamed toAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,[3] the series was officially ordered on May 10, 2013, with 22 episodes.[21] Jed Whedon, Tancharoen, andJeffrey Bell act as the series'showrunners,[12] whileClark Gregg reprises his role from the films as Phil Coulson.[22] The series was renewed for asecond season on May 8, 2014,[23] athird on May 7, 2015,[24] afourth on March 3, 2016,[25] afifth on May 11, 2017,[26] asixth on May 14, 2018,[27] and a finalseventh season on November 16, 2018;[28][29] the sixth and seventh seasons consist of 13 episodes each.[27][28]
Thefirst season, which premiered on September 24, 2013,[30] aired episodes that directly relate to events in the filmsThor: The Dark World (2013) andCaptain America: The Winter Soldier.[31][32] The revelation inThe Winter Soldier that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been infiltrated by Hydra had a huge impact on the series. Regarding the synergy the show had with addressing events from the film, Loeb said, "It's an extremely unique experience that doesn't exist anywhere else out there in the entertainment business."[33] The second season, which premiered on September 23, 2014,[34] introduces Inhumans to the MCU,[35] ahead of their own television series.[5] Additionally, a recurring plot point in the first two seasons involved the body of aKree, an alien race that plays a significant role inGuardians of the Galaxy (2014).[36] The third season, which premiered on September 29, 2015,[37] introduces theSecret Warriors team, featuring new Inhuman characters inspired by the comic of the same name,[38][39] as well asLife Model Decoys.[40] The fourth season, which premiered on September 20, 2016,[41] sees Ghost Rider introduced to the MCU,[42] and ties to the second season ofAgent Carter as well asDoctor Strange (2016).[43][44] The last four episodes of the fifth season, which premiered on December 1, 2017,[20] coincide with the events ofAvengers: Infinity War (2018).[45] The sixth season premiered on May 10, 2019,[46] and the seventh season premiered on May 27, 2020.[47] Thetwo-part series finale aired on August 12, 2020.[48]
In 1946, Peggy Carter must balance the routine office work she does for theStrategic Scientific Reserve while secretly assistingHoward Stark, who finds himself framed for supplying deadly weapons to enemies of the United States. Carter is assisted by Stark's butler,Edwin Jarvis, to find those responsible and dispose of the weapons.[62][63] Carter eventually moves from New York City to Los Angeles to deal with the threats of the new atomic age, gaining new friends, a new home, and potential new love.[64]
By September 2013, Marvel was developing a series inspired by theAgent Carter One-Shot short film, featuring Peggy Carter,[65] and the series was confirmed to be in development in January 2014. The pilot script was written byCaptain America: The First Avenger (2011) andCaptain America: The Winter Soldier writersChristopher Markus & Stephen McFeely.[4] On May 8, 2014, ABC officially orderedAgent Carter to series.[23] Tara Butters, Michele Fazekas, and Chris Dingess act as showrunners on the series,[13][4] while Hayley Atwell reprises her role as Peggy Carter.[4]Marvel Studios co-presidentsKevin Feige andLouis D'Esposito served as executive producers on the series. Fazekas said they were very interested in the production given Carter originated from the films,[66] makingAgent Carter the only Marvel Television series to have significant involvement from Marvel Studios.[67] The series was renewed for asecond season on May 7, 2015,[24] and was officially canceled by ABC on May 12, 2016.[68]
In November 2016, Marvel Television and IMAX Corporation announcedInhumans, to be produced in conjunction withABC Studios.[5][7] The series'first two episodes were filmed entirely onIMAX digital cameras,[8] and aired on IMAX screens for two weeks beginning September 1, 2017.[14] ABC then broadcast the series weekly starting with the first two episodes on September 29,[14] with the network airing of the first two episodes featuring exclusive content, outside of the versions screened on IMAX.[5] Select action sequences in the rest of the series were also shot on IMAX.[8] The series was neither intended to be a reworking ofthe planned film fromMarvel Studios, nor a spin-off fromAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.[6] Sherwood added that the theatrical debut of the series was timed to not interfere with the release of any Marvel Studios films.[84] In December 2016,Scott Buck was announced as showrunner and executive producer for the series.[15] In February 2017,Anson Mount was cast as Black Bolt.[7] ABC canceled the series on May 11, 2018.[85]
Ex-spies and ex-spousesBobbi Morse andLance Hunter are on the run trying to uncover a conspiracy against them. With no help from S.H.I.E.L.D., they enter into an uneasy partnership with rogue adventurerDominic Fortune.[139][140]
By April 2015, Marvel was developing a spinoff series fromAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The series, which was being developed byAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. executive producer Jeffrey Bell and writer Paul Zbyszewski, would be based on storylines occurring at the end of the second season ofAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and would receive its own pilot rather than abackdoor pilot.[141]Adrianne Palicki andNick Blood entered into discussions to headline the potential new series as their characters Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter, respectively.[142] By May 7, 2015—when ABC announced their series renewals, cancellations, and new series pickups—theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoff was passed on.[143] In August 2015, theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoff series received new life as a reworked series, titledMarvel's Most Wanted, with a pilot order.[144] Bell and Zbyszewski once again developed the series, while also serving as co-writers of the pilot.[145] The series would still focus on Morse and Hunter, with Palicki and Blood both attached, and was described as "a new take focusing on the same duo and their continuing adventures."[144] In May 2016, the series was passed on by ABC once again.[146]
From mid-April 2015, Marvel worked with screenwriterJohn Ridley to craft a new television series, "reinventing" an existing Marvel character or property.[147] In January 2016, Ridley confirmed the project was in development and stated that he was looking to "bring some of the socially conscious nature" ofJessica Jones and his seriesAmerican Crime to the show, while also creating something that is "straight entertainment".[148] A year later,Channing Dungey revealed that Ridley's project was still progressing, with Ridley working on a rewrite of his script.[149] Ridley added that the rewrite was not because "anything didn't work the first time around", but rather trying to make sure the series does something viewers have not necessarily seen before in a superhero television series, hoping it would occupy "a space that is not currently being filled" by Marvel. He also stated that he hoped to create the series "in the near term."[150] By August 2017, Dungey was "not sure" if Ridley was still working on the project.[151] It was confirmed to have "fizzled" in December 2019,[10] and Ridley confirmed in January 2024 it was no longer in the works while revealing that his series had been centered around theEternals. He explained his approach to the characters as "a really weird story", while stating that they are "a really hard property" to adapt and felt he "probably wasn't the right person for it and I probably couldn't make it what it needed to be". The Eternals characters were later repositioned for a feature film project from Marvel Studios titledEternals (2021).[152]
The show follows the overworked and underpaidclean-up crew of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that specializes in dealing with the aftermath of superhero conflicts, rescheduling events because of the conflicts, and retrieving lost items.[153]
In October 2015, ABC ordered aput pilot for a half-hour live-action comedy seriesMarvel's Damage Control, based on the comics construction company ofthe same name. The series was being developed byBen Karlin for ABC Studios and Marvel Television, with Karlin writing the script and serving as executive producer.[153][154] Then ABC Entertainment presidentPaul Lee wanted the series to begin airing as early as the2016–17 television season.[155] Any development on the series was ended by December 2019.[10]
The Damage Control organization was mentioned inAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,[156] before being introduced as the "Department of Damage Control" inSpider-Man: Homecoming withTyne Daly portraying head of departmentAnne Marie Hoag.[157]
In September 2018, ABC gave a production commitment to a series featuring lesser-known female superheroes, written and executive produced byAllan Heinberg. Jeph Loeb was also set to executive produce the potential series. The idea had been a "strong contender from the get-go" in terms of the new series that Marvel and ABC had been developing.[158] However, in February 2019, ABC chose not to proceed with the pilot, despite its "big" production commitment. Nellie Andreeva ofDeadline Hollywood said it was "unclear" if the series would be redeveloped.[159]
In January 2016, Lee announced that ABC Studios was developing a second comedy series with Marvel afterDamage Control with the hope that it would air on ABC.[155] Dungey said in May 2016 that there were "a handful of projects in development", after passing onMarvel's Most Wanted and cancelingAgent Carter, and that Marvel and ABC were looking "at series that would be beneficial to both brands."[160] In January 2018, she noted that Marvel and ABC "tried a few things that haven't worked out as well as we would've liked. We developed a couple things this season that we don't think are going to end up going forward, so we're going to look really carefully about what we do next, because the idea for us is to come up with something that works very well for both Marvel and ABC, so we're going to continue to try there."[161] In August 2018, Dungey said "we're cooking up a couple things for broadcast" in terms of potential new Marvel series on ABC, and that there was one idea in particular that she was excited to talk about.[162]
In August 2019, ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke stated that ABC was in active discussions with Marvel regarding "one project in particular" that would be "something brand new, mostly" and be a female-focused superhero series. This project was separate from the female-focused superhero series developed for ABC by Allan Heinberg earlier in 2019.[163] Plans for the series had "stalled" by January 2020,[11] a month after Marvel Television announced they were no longer developing new series.[10] TheMarvel Studios Special PresentationThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) was originally conceived during the production ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) for development on ABC, before ultimately becoming the first piece of contentMarvel Studios planned to create forDisney+, where it ultimately released.[164][165]
^A version ofthe first two episodes debuted in IMAX theaters on September 1, 2017, and ran for two weeks, before their television premiere on ABC on September 29.[14]
