The Marvel Cinematic Universe Netflix shows are fully canon now, and while this is an exciting development, it exacerbates several problems.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has confirmed that a group of properties are canonical, which will, unfortunately, exacerbate a problem seen throughout Phases 4 and 5. In 2015 – towards the end of the MCU’s Phase 2 – several Marvel TV shows were released on Netflix, beginning with Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Although Kevin Feige was not involved in any of the Netflix shows, they were released with the intention of being part of the MCU canon. The shows themselves occasionally mentioned characters and events from the MCU timeline, but they were never mentioned in Feige’s MCU properties until after the Infinity Saga.

Among viewers, the canonicity of the MCU Netflix shows was somewhat ambiguous for a time, even with Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin appearing in post-Infinity Saga films and Disney+ shows. The actors were reprising their respective roles, but it was not clear if their Netflix appearances were fully canon. The matter was definitively cleared, however, by an interview with Marvel Studios Head of Streaming Brad Winderbaum. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Winderbaum confirmed that all six Netflix shows that comprise The Defenders Saga are fully canon to the MCU.

The MCU’s Netflix Canon Change Means All Its Heroes Can Appear In The Franchise

The Defenders Saga not only introduced Daredevil and Kingpin, but it also brought Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, The Punisher, Elektra, and many other classic Marvel characters to the MCU. Now that their respective shows are fully confirmed as MCU canon, future MCU properties can make official continuations of their stories, either through sequel shows like the forthcoming Daredevil: Born Again, or through roles in other properties like Marvel’s Echo. With Spider-Man: No Way Home including a cameo by Matt Murdock, audiences can also reasonably expect appearances by the MCU’s Netflix heroes in the franchise as well.

While Vincent D’Onofrio has expressed interest in having his iteration of Kingpin battle Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Peter Parker might also cross paths with other street-level heroes, like Jessica Jones, or anti-heroes, like The Punisher and Elektra. Teams like the Heroes for Hire (Luke Cage and Iron Fist) or Daughters of the Dragon (Misty Knight and Colleen Wing) might also form in future MCU properties. The ongoing Multiverse Saga could potentially feature all of the MCU’s Netflix heroes in its concluding entry, Avengers: Secret Wars.

Why MCU’s Netflix Hero Introductions Have A Phase 5 Problem

The possibility of seeing the MCU’s Netflix heroes is surely exciting for many viewers, but it does create several issues for the franchise. Following Avengers: Endgame, the MCU has introduced a plethora of heroes, thanks to not only the films of Phases 4 and 5 but also the many TV shows on Disney+. Canonizing the MCU Netflix shows means that viewers now have 6 more shows and 11 more seasons of characters and storylines to keep track of in order to be fully caught up on the MCU canon.

Another problem in bringing back the MCU Netflix shows concerns certain actors playing multiple characters, potentially leading to confusion. Alfre Woodard notably played Mariah Dillard – a major villain in Luke Cage – and Miriam Sharpe, who had a small but significant role in Captain America: Civil War. Mahershala Ali, similarly, played Luke Cage season 1 antagonist Cornell Stokes but will star as Blade in the 2025 Blade film. Ebon Moss-Bachrach played a prominent role in The Punisher season 1 as David Lieberman (Micro) but is set to star in Marvel’s Fantastic Four as The Thing.

In Captain America: Civil War, Miriam Sharpe blamed The Avengers for her son’s death in the Battle of Sokovia, leading Tony Stark to support the Sokovia Accords.

With this in mind, acknowledging the MCU Netflix shows will be difficult in forthcoming properties. Mariah Dillard and Cornell Stokes are both deceased, yet it would still create some awkward questions, with Blade due to release in 2025 and the MCU now able to acknowledge the events of Luke Cage. Even more potentially tumultous are Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s two roles, with David Lieberman being alive and well – having been a prominent ally to The Punisher for a time – and The Thing (along with the Fantastic Four writ large) likely set to become a particularly prominent hero in the MCU.

Why The MCU Likely Won’t See Many Netflix Hero Introductions Anytime Soon

For now, given these potential pitfalls and the already ever-growing pantheon of MCU heroes, it may be a long time before more Netflix heroes are reintroduced to the MCU. While it is certainly possible for most or all of the heroes to have brief cameos, likely in the final two Avengers films of Phase 6, major roles for characters other than Daredevil and Kingpin are unlikely. The forthcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe installments may, however, simply acknowledge the characters and events of the shows to avoid making the franchise overcrowded.