Disney+ abruptly removes its initial Marvel originals

Disney has recently hit the delete button, removing the inaugural two Marvel originals from its streaming platform, Disney+.

This move comes as part of a novel cost-saving strategy deployed by Disney, eliminating a variety of series, documentaries, and original content from Disney+, some of which are affiliated with the Marvel franchise.

While series such as MPower and Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever were initially marked for removal but ultimately managed to stay, Marvel's Runaways wasn't as fortunate. Similarly, the first two Marvel series explicitly made for Disney's streaming service met the same fate.

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Disney+ cut loose Marvel's 616 and Hero Project

Marvel's Hero Project and Marvel's 616: An untimely farewell from the Disney's streaming service lineup (Image via Disney)

Disney+ carried out its maiden content cull in late May, removing Marvel's first two originals explicitly created for the platform.

The two series in question are Marvel's Hero Project and Marvel's 616. Hero Project premiered with Disney+ on November 12, 2019, and featured real-world children significantly impacting their communities, embodying the spirit of true heroes.

The documentary series celebrated these young individuals' actions through customized Marvel comic books. Marvel's 616, a collection of eight episodes, was released on the streaming service in November 2020, providing a comprehensive look into various aspects of the Marvel Universe, including its characters, the minds behind them, and the fan base.

Along with Hero Project and Marvel's 616, the company unveiled Marvel's Expanding the Universe on Disney's streaming service in 2019. However, unlike the previous originals, Expanding the Universe is considered more of an enhanced featurette than a full-fledged project.

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The mystery behind Disney's content removal

Unraveling the enigma: What motivated Disney's unprecedented purge of Marvel content? (Image via Disney)

Speculation is rife that Disney's motivation to cull selected content is driven by the prospect of avoiding residual fee payments. The exact rationale behind this decision and why certain projects were chosen for removal over others remain undisclosed.

Nevertheless, this initiative has been widely perceived as contentious, particularly when it involves original series like Marvel's 616 and Hero Project.

These series are not only symbolic of Marvel's earliest collaborations with Disney+ before MCU series like WandaVision and Loki made their debut, but their removal is also considered a significant blow to the creative teams and talent involved.

The discontinuation of Marvel's Hero Project is particularly regrettable, considering its objective to motivate and highlight young real-world heroes. As the aftermath of this decision unfolds in the coming months, the entertainment world is poised to watch how Disney's strategic choices will shape its future course.