Daredevil, a Series Disney Was Counting on to Revive Its Failing Marvel Franchise, Posts Low Ratings in Debut
Plus: Is This Something?

The show isn't that bad. Kingpin, they say, is based on Trump, but I don't hear that there's much wokeness in it. I don't really like it, but it's mostly like the old Netflix show, which I also wasn't a big fan of.

What I mean is, it should satisfy the old audience.

But the old audience isn't tuning in.

Interest in the Marvel brand is now down at Star Wars levels, so even relatively "good" (by comparison) projects are passed over.

Marvel Studios had high hopes for Daredevil: Born Again, positioning it as a major revival of the Netflix-era Daredevil series and a key effort to win back longtime fans. However, despite Variety and Disney painting the numbers as a success, a closer look reveals a starkly different story.

According to Disney, Daredevil: Born Again drew 7.5 million views in its first five days. Variety calls this a "strong launch," but in reality, this number falls well below expectations for a series of this magnitude.

For comparison, The Acolyte--a series that performed so poorly it was shelved after one season--managed 11.1 million views in its first week. That was already considered underwhelming, coming in 3 million below Ahsoka. Even Agatha All Along, widely regarded as a disastrous misfire for Marvel streaming, managed 9.3 million in its first week.

This raises serious questions about the future of Marvel's television projects. If Daredevil: Born Again, with its strong brand recognition and returning fan-favorite cast, can't outperform some of Marvel's weakest streaming entries, is the studio truly capable of turning things around? Disney and Variety can attempt to spin these numbers, but the reality is clear--this was supposed to be a major comeback, and instead, it signals further decline.

...

At this point, Marvel Studios is facing an uphill battle to regain audience trust. The push to reclaim the momentum of the past is growing more desperate, and projects like Daredevil: Born Again were meant to be the remedy. Instead, with a launch this lackluster, it seems the studio is still struggling to bring audiences back. If Marvel's legacy characters can't drive engagement, what does that mean for its future?

Midnight's Edge calls the ratings a "disaster."

Below: Is This Something?

Remember the 80s game Contra?

I barely do. It wasn't a game I played much, but it was in almost every arcade.

I don't know how real this is, but here's a trailer for what is called a "short film" based on the game.

A fan-made short film inspired by the iconic video game series 'Contra', created and owned by Konami.

THE STORY:

Bill and Lance--two ripped, no-nonsense commandos--are called upon by their grizzled old commander, Colonel Blood, for one last death-defying mission. But when their chopper crash-lands in the heart of the Last Frontier, they're stranded, outnumbered, and outgunned.

With nothing but bare fists, oversized weapons, and an insatiable thirst for destruction, they carve a path of carnage through their enemies, leaving behind one simple reminder:

REAL MEN DON'T RELOAD.

Looks pretty awesome, honestly. There's that one shot showing the pair side-scrolling through enemies. (But wasn't the Contra game top-down rather than a side-scroller? I dunno.)

Nick Cage has not one but two movies coming out:

posted by Ace at 04:24 PM

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