By We’ve got a bit of a double whammy for Marvel’s TV division today. In two seemingly unrelated events, Marvel TV’s head Jeph Loeb has left the company while the show Cloak & Dagger has gotten canceled. In Flixist’s coverage from NYCC, Loeb seemed like he was basically finished with the TV side of things after the recent news of Kevin Feige’s promotion to CCO of Marvel. I guess that assumption was true as The Hollywood Reporter’s latest report indicates.
As for Cloak & Dagger, production company Freeform opted to not renew the series after a disappointing ratings drop for season two. Speaking with Deadline, Freeform said, “We are so proud of Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger and the trailblazing stories this series told. We are also grateful to our incredible talent Oliva Holt and Aubrey Joseph for bringing these beloved characters to life, and showrunner Joe Pokaski for his vision. We’d like to thank our partners at Marvel Television for a wonderful two seasons and are we are hopeful that we can find another project together.” That doesn’t really address why it was canceled, but it probably has to do with Feige’s rise to power.
Whether or not this is a good move for the company and brand, one can’t help but feel a little sad over the events. Marvel always seemed to take more risks in the TV department and Loeb was at the center of it. Pushing for darker and more creative tales in the universe, the worst crime was that the film division was entirely separate from what Loeb was doing. It would have been great to see him get properly integrated into the MCU, but I guess that wasn’t meant to be.
Marvel TV Topper Jeph Loeb to Exit [The Hollywood Reporter]
‘Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger‘ Canceled By Freeform After 2 Seasons [Deadline]
