Jeph Loeb has more on his plate than ever at Marvel TV. As the Executive Vice President at the division, Loeb has a hand in the development of live action and animated series on multiple networks, including the emerging Netflix. The first two series there, Daredevil and Jessica Jones were both massive successes, both critically and financially, leading to a quick second season for Daredevil. As that approaches, less than two months from its premiere, Loeb sounds more excited than even the most rabid of fans.
In a phone interview with ComicBook.com, Loeb’s excitement was palpable.
Videos by ComicBook.com
“If you love season one, you’re going to love (emphasis his) season two,” Loeb said, before I could even get a proper question about the series out. The new season will introduce two more Marvel characters – both of whom straddle the line of hero and villain – into the Marvel Cinematic Universe: the Punisher and Elektra.
Loeb said that all Jon Bernthal wanted was to do right by the character, and not screw it up for fans.
“Jon Bernthal has succeeded in his quest,” Loeb said confidently. “His Punisher is extraordinarily memorable, in every way.”
The addition of Elektra, played by Elodie Yung, will also throw a wrench in Matt Murdock’s – and viewers’ – lives.
“You will fall in love with Elodie Yung as Elektra, and she will break your heart, because that’s what Elektra does to people,” he said. Their interaction with the series stars will satisfy, too, he promises. “When you float Charlie Cox (as Matt Murdock/Daredevil) into that group, and Deborah Ann Woll, and Elvin Henson as Karen and Fggy, it just is an extraordinary cast. I just think people are going to be incredibly delighted by the story that Doug [Petrie] and Marco [Ramirez] and the writing staff came up with for this season.”
The season will play into Matt Murdock’s need to be a hero by exploring “what it is to be a hero,” Loeb teased. “What’s fantastic about the story is, is that it’s created this enormous division in his life, because the woman that he once loved has returned, and she certainly has some issues with morality, and how you get the job done, and going on the other end of the spectrum is Frank Castle, who believes that justice needs to be served in a particular way.”
That leads to Matt exploring new aspects of his recent life choices.
“For Matt, who believes in the law, the question of whether or not he is a vigilante, and whether or not that makes him the same as these people, is something that will drive the story, and will drive Matt,” he said. “And in his performance, Charlie Cox will really raise some hard questions: when you decide to put on a mask and go out and seek justice, and you are not somebody who the law sees as someone who should be doing that job, how do you get away with that?”
Ultimately, Loeb’s confidence and excitement in Daredevil‘s next season can be summed up in one simple phrase: “I’m sorry.” No, he’s not apologizing for anything negative like expectations not being met or any dip in quality – it’s just the opposite. He’s afraid it’s just too good to miss, or to not watch the day it hits Netflix, on March 18, 2016.
“Again, I have to do what I do every time Marvel drops a show on Netflix, which is, I apologize to the employers around the world for the fact that, on Friday, March 18th, there’s going to be an awful lot of people that miss work. I’m just sorry about that. I can’t really do anything about it.”
Stay tuned for much more from Loeb, including thoughts and teases on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, crossovers between TV and film, and even teases on some of those other in-development shows.
Jon Bernthal as Punisher concept art pictured above by BossLogic.
