The shows from Marvel Television have tackled a number of different genres, but there has notably been some overlap between Hulu’s Runaways and Freeform’s Cloak & Dagger. To no surprise from both shows’ fanbases, a recent special video confirmed that the two shows will crossover in usual MCU fashion. The eponymous heroes of the latter show will appear in the former show’s third season, which streams later this year.
Cloak & Dagger stars Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph made an appearance in a video with the cast of Runaways (who I interviewed at NYCC last year), sitting on the staircase of the Hostel from the latter show. Why this was framed as a surprise when the video title and thumbnail spoils it, I do not know. But if you recall in the Cloak & Dagger season 2 finale, it ends with Tandy and Tyrone jumping on a bus, determined to help other parts of the country with their powers (YouTube link here).
The duo from New Orleans is heading straight to Los Angeles, I suppose then, and as such they’ll be able to aid the Runaways with their unique set of skills: teleporting, stabbing things with daggers, and seeing the hopes and fears of people with touch. Again, the MCU is used to crossovers, but this is significant for being the first such crossover across different networks. We’ve had the characters of the dearly departed Netflix-Marvel shows jump around, but never to say, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or vice versa—at the best, you get references and easter eggs. Seeing how Hulu is now mostly owned by Disney, the crossover must have been easier to do logistically.
It’s a crossover I’m particularly curious about: yes, they are both teen drama shows, but I think the two are more different than people give them credit for. Runaways has far more levity compared to Cloak & Dagger, while the latter show is definitely a bit more melodramatic. It’s for that reason that I prefer the former series. I’m fully caught up with both of them, and while I was able to review Runaways season 2 with some enthusiasm, I gave up on trying to conjure up words for Cloak & Dagger. It’s all a matter of preference, I suppose—I’ve seen some people feel the opposite way.
Whatever the case may be, fans of both shows can see how this crossover episode will go when season 3 of Runaways hits Hulu on December 13, with all ten episodes releasing at once.
