Should Disney create a Marvel Channel?

[MakeMinesMarvel]

Going into Phase 4/5 do you think Disney should create a Marvel Channel? They could replace one of there existing channels or just create one from another company like they did with the SOAP Channel.

UPDATE

Disney is mulling subscription-video services that would bring its Marvel and "Star Wars" properties directly to viewers.

According to multiple sources, including Advertising Age and Bloomberg Business, Disney CEO Bog Iger floated the possibility Tuesday afternoon in a conference call with Wall Street analysts.

"There is definitely an opportunity not just for ESPN, but for other Disney brands to openly put products in the marketplace that reach consumers directly," he said. "We think we have that opportunity with Disney-branded service. We may have an opportunity to bring out a Marvel-type product and possibly even 'Star Wars.'"
CBR News has reached out to Marvel for more information.

The world's largest entertainment company, Disney last year launched Disney Movies Anywhere, a free service that allows consumer to watch its movies -- including the Marvel catalog and "Big Hero 6" -- on web-ready televisions, mobile devices or computers.

But while Iger didn't offer many details, he did make clear that Disney, which owns ABC, ESPN, Disney Channel and Disney XD, among other channels, isn't planning to break away from the lucrative cable bundle.

"We are also mindful of the value of the expanded basic bundle to this company," he said. "And we do not believe there is any reason for us to attempt to take out some of this product, particularly ESPN, quickly or right now. In other words, there’s time."
Things I could see in a Marvel Channel (Key would be previously existing content being purchased if not already)

Old Content

• The Netflix Shows should be on season 4/5 with new ones probably in development. Enough time will have passed to air Season 1 of these shows on a Marvel Channel.
  
• Agents of Shield could move to the Marvel Channel so not to be pressured by ratings requirements
  
• Same with Agent Carter
  
• All the old cartoons can air during the mornings from
  
• Have Famous Marvel Fans have commentary over old Marvel movies on Friday night movie specials
  
• An late night Anime block featuring repeats of X-Men/Wolverine/Ironman/Blade and Marvel Anime DTV's

New Content

• Create a new Marvel Animated Universe based off Secret Wars. Make a mid day block of connected cartoon action Shows.
  
• I think Marvel after the success of The Defenders will green light Marvel Feature Length One Shots on Netflix for lesser heroes like Hawkeye or Nebula. After a exclusive period on Netflix could air on Marvel Channel.
  
• Young Avengers or Runaways MCU connected live action could air on Marvel Channel.
  
• A voice acted series based on the Marvel MMORPG could be funny.

Lots and lots old and new content could be included in a Marvel Channel.

 

[Flint Marko]

It'd be pretty awesome if they did. I like the idea of having famous Marvel fans give a commentary Mystery Science Theater 3000-style. I could see Patton Oswalt doing several of these, I'd love to hear his input.

 

[DrCosmic]

Hmm...

It sounds cool, but there's just not enough content. The Netflix shows only work because they're exclusive to Netflix, that's why Netflix is putting big money down for them. If people could get Netflix content elsewhere, Netflix wouldn't pay money for it, and Netflix subscribers without cable would feel cheated out of their shows if they moved. Not a good look.

24 Hours of Content, right?
- Two Marvel films per day: 6 hours
- Twelve Cartoon episodes per day: 6 hours
- "Prime time" shows: Agents of SHIELD, Agent Carter, lots of new series: 2 hours
- Commentary/Superhero Talk Shows: 1 Hour

I can only really pull 15 hours per day, and that's with them making 6-10 brand new shows, which is incredibly expensive for superheroes vs cooking or looking at homes or anything reality-based. And that's not considering that the number of movies available is limited, and doesn't change much from quarter to quarter, and then you've got issues with using Fox and Sony's content. Universal still has some distribution rights I believe as well.

Even a full all-encompassing Superhero Channel could be under some real difficulty, all complicated by the fact that people can get superheroes everywhere, especially online and superheroes on its own doesn't allow for very diverse content.

 

[MakeMinesMarvel]

In 2020 Netflix won't mind season one of Luke Cage airing once a week on Marvel Channel. It'll have been on DVD for years plus Marvel will be making more content for them. A lot of Netflix stuff airs on tv in other countries already

Marvel Comics read by voice actors with flash animation. Like Spider-Woman and Astonishing X-Men. Make a bunch of those. And all the old Marvel cartoons can fill up time

Silver Surfer TAS
Guardians of the Galaxy TAS
Avengers TAS
Avengers EMH
Avengers (newer series)
Hulk 60s
Hulk TAS
Hulk Agents of Smash
Fantastic Four 60s
Fantastic Four 80s
Fantastic Four TAS
Fantastic Four (newest one)
X-Men Tas
X-men Evolution
Wolverine n the X-Men
Spider-Man
Spider-Man TAS
Spider-Man Amazing Friends
Ultimate Spider-Man
Spectacular Spider-Man
Spider-Man TNAS
Iron man TAS
Iron man (3d one)
Black Panther
Marvel Super Heroes (the kid show)
Spider-Woman

Ultimate Avengers 1 & 2
Invincible Iron man
Dr Strange

X-men Anime
Blade anime
Iron man anime
Wolverine anime

Black/Punisher Anime movie
Iron man Anime movie

Old Blade Live Action Series
X-men Pryde of the X-Men
Old Live Action Spider-Man
Old Live Action Incredible Hulk

Captain America Iron man Namor Hulk Thor 60s shows playing on late late night.

Ironman/Hulk heroes United
ironman/ captain America heroes United
Make more of those

Planet Hulk
Hulk vs
Next Avengers


That's a lot of old content

 

[Shakel92]

If the WWE can have a channel, then so can the MCU.

However, it will probably be 20 years before we see it. There just isn't enough content right now to justify it.

 

[Victarion]

Absolutely not. Marvel's going to destroy the cinema with its bloated slate. There is no reason to tank television.

 

[MakeMinesMarvel]

Show old content during late night till mid day hours and new content starting around 6/7 pm. Mix in all the old Marvel Movies. With a Marvel Comics All Access show and other stuff like that.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

The Marvel Network. For only 9.99 a month.

 

[MakeMinesMarvel]

I wouldn't pay monthly outside of tv for it but included in a tv package sign me up!

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

If the WWE can have a channel, then so can the MCU.

However, it will probably be 20 years before we see it. There just isn't enough content right now to justify it.

WWE has 50 years and many thousands of hours of programming to put on it. They also have the rights to most of their competitors (WCW, ECW, AWA, WCCW, Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic, etc.).

And despite that WWE has lost millions of dollars on the Network so far.

 

[KevanG]

I'd say no if for no other reason than I don't even watch tv/cable/satellite. I use Netflix or watch shows elsewhere using a means I cannot mention on this site.

Can't stand commercials and I even get mad dealing with the youtube ones you can get out of in five seconds.

There's not much of a point in a whole channel when you can just put it on netflix pr something similar if not making your own version just for that. I can see the idea behind it but almost everyone I know who has satellite and cable is constantly getting mad over the packages and having to buy an extra hundred channels just for the two they wanted.

 

[MakeMinesMarvel]

Just trying think of different topics for a change.

 

[Hellion]

In idea...I love it...

But I agree with DrCosmic's points...

 

[metaphysician]

Even if they got "second run" rights to the Netflix shows. . . no, I can't see it. There's not enough content available under Disney's control. Maybe if the TV paradigm changed to a more "specialty channel" system, *and* Disney gained distribution rights to *all* the old Marvel-based movies, TV shows, and cartoons.

 

[Stormz96]

I love the idea. They can run the netflix shows, the abc shows, animated series from every decade, every marvel movie, and they can create a lot of original content for the channel too. If abc doesn't wanna fill up their block with marvel and Disney doesn't wanna sell to a channel they don't own, I think this may be their best choice.

 

[Ultron-5]

Let's see...

NOOOOOOOOO!!!

 

[Dark Raven]

I guess it could be like the Disney Channel. They could probably put out some cheaper shows though like a typical Disney-type of show except that it would be of Power Pack or the Runaways.

The question with a dedicated channel like that is whether it would end up becoming diminishing returns. Would we not enjoy it as much when there's Marvel content going on all the time? Is it best in smaller bytes where we can savour it rather than having it as the constant diet? It could end up very difficult to keep up with everything.

 

[MakeMinesMarvel]

Hmm...

It sounds cool, but there's just not enough content. The Netflix shows only work because they're exclusive to Netflix, that's why Netflix is putting big money down for them. If people could get Netflix content elsewhere, Netflix wouldn't pay money for it, and Netflix subscribers without cable would feel cheated out of their shows if they moved. Not a good look.

Absolutely not. Marvel's going to destroy the cinema with its bloated slate. There is no reason to tank television.

The Marvel Network. For only 9.99 a month.

I'd say no if for no other reason than I don't even watch tv/cable/satellite.

There's not much of a point in a whole channel when you can just put it on netflix pr something similar

Even if they got "second run" rights to the Netflix shows. . . no, I can't see it. There's not enough content available under Disney's control.

I'm not even a MCU only fan and saw this coming a mile away. It's obviously the logical next step 5 or so years from now.

Disney is mulling subscription-video services that would bring its Marvel and "Star Wars" properties directly to viewers.

According to multiple sources, including Advertising Age and Bloomberg Business, Disney CEO Bog Iger floated the possibility Tuesday afternoon in a conference call with Wall Street analysts.

"There is definitely an opportunity not just for ESPN, but for other Disney brands to openly put products in the marketplace that reach consumers directly," he said. "We think we have that opportunity with Disney-branded service. We may have an opportunity to bring out a Marvel-type product and possibly even 'Star Wars.'"
CBR News has reached out to Marvel for more information.

The world's largest entertainment company, Disney last year launched Disney Movies Anywhere, a free service that allows consumer to watch its movies -- including the Marvel catalog and "Big Hero 6" -- on web-ready televisions, mobile devices or computers.

But while Iger didn't offer many details, he did make clear that Disney, which owns ABC, ESPN, Disney Channel and Disney XD, among other channels, isn't planning to break away from the lucrative cable bundle.

"We are also mindful of the value of the expanded basic bundle to this company," he said. "And we do not believe there is any reason for us to attempt to take out some of this product, particularly ESPN, quickly or right now. In other words, there’s time."

 

[GRW88]

I think this would be pretty cool, but it might end up being too much

 

[los pollos]

Not worth it for Marvel IMO. Running a cable network is no easy task, and it would be a money sink if they tried it. As an example of it not being worth it, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) lost $330M in it's first two years before turning a profit. Marvel doesn't produce enough new original content to maintain a network that people would watch in big enough numbers to attract advertisers. It's not worth the headache, and they would be better off running their stuff on one of their parent company's various networks.

 

[Urich Leeds]

They wouldn't have enough progamming. And they would pour the money needed into the amount of original projects. The only way it could work is if they mostly and primarily ran reruns of old Marvel toons, from the 60s to the present.

You also have the issue of intended audience, and how thay affects putting live action Marvel shows (which are all adult oriented) on the channel.

 

[MakeMinesMarvel]

Ok so I'm assuming you guys are only reading the first post or the title. Let me update it

 

[Hypestyle]

continue the relationship with Netflix and produce shows for that platform.

 

[DrCosmic]

In 2020 Netflix won't mind season one of Luke Cage airing once a week on Marvel Channel. It'll have been on DVD for years plus Marvel will be making more content for them. A lot of Netflix stuff airs on tv in other countries already

Marvel Comics read by voice actors with flash animation. Like Spider-Woman and Astonishing X-Men. Make a bunch of those. And all the old Marvel cartoons can fill up time

...

That's a lot of old content

That's the problem it's just to fill up time, by design, and that's clear the viewer. Think about what you're saying when you couch making money on people wanting to watch the Sticky Fingaz Blade TV series? You've incorrectly presumed the audience wants to see it and that Disney has rights to distribute it. I would feel a great swell of pride knowing that there's a Marvel Channel, but Disney would not see a great swell of viewers.

I'm not even a MCU only fan and saw this coming a mile away. It's obviously the logical next step 5 or so years from now.

I wasn't just reading the first post, I read all of your ideas, and pointed out why they wouldn't work.

A video subscription service, on the other hand, makes sense. Disney could possibly avoid the problems the WWE network is facing by learning from them. Certainly having an amount of content is not supreme, but one needs to, like Netflix, have exclusive valuable content. Old content that is available for two dollars at Movie Stop won't cut it. If there are some Orange Is The New Black/House of Cards/Marco Polo level shows, maybe even just two or three, it could do great things.

Perhaps the currently Netflix shows will move away from Netflix at that point, taking subscribers with them, perhaps there will be Star Wars television shows there. Between Marvel and Star Wars, there's a lot that can be done in terms of available compelling content, and no need to fill up time and tarnish the value of a TV channel. Still a hard sell, but as an app, it could make waves, potentially.

 

[Endeavor]

Maybe they need to do something like how cartoon network started, with Robot Carnival.
Block out a chunk of hours in a day, once a month, and make it Marvel programming.
Something good too, not the smelly crap currently taking up space in DisneyXD.