Marvel Cancels Howard the Duck and Tigra & Dazzler Shows

Days after Hulu unveiled the voice cast for Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., Marvel has pulled the plug on half the adult-oriented shows it initially offered to produce. According to a new report (via THR), Hulu will no longer be carrying Howard the Duck or Tigra & Dazzler. The latter of the two had been placed in development hell after its showrunner and entire creative staff were relieved of their duties. Both shows had been ordered straight to series and were set to crossover with MODOK and Hit-Monkey in The Offenders, a fifth mini-series which now won’t happen.

It’s expected MODOK and Hit-Monkey will continue production. It should be noted the report states the choice to cancel the two shows came from Marvel Studios — or it’s recently-rebranded subsidiary Marvel TV Studios — and not from the streamer.

Just last week, Hulu content chief Craig Erwich revealed he’d seen pieces of M.O.D.O.K., commenting on the show’s quality and comedy.

“I have seen quite a few episodes of MODOK, which I’m really excited about,” Erwich said. “Patton Oswalt is a lifelong Marvel fan and was obsessed with the character of MODOK. So, for him to finally get his hands on that character and for he and Jordan Blum to do what they always wanted to do with it, which is a whole new take and a very funny one, on what it means to be a comic book villain is really special. I’m excited to see that.”

The latest cancellations are just the latest after Marvel Studios absorbed the entity which was once known as Marvel Television. The shows canceled since that corporate restructuring include Marvel’s Ghost Rider and Marvel’s New Warriors, which were set to debut on Hulu and Freeform, respectively. The cancellations also leave just four productions left to air from Marvel Television, the aforementioned M.O.D.O.K. and Hit-Monkey animated shows, ABC’s final season of Agents of SHIELD, and a live-action Hulu show featuring Daimon and Satan Hellstrom.

Erwich also said he had seen four episodes of Helstrom and applauded its dedication to the horror genre. “We’re in production on [Helstrom],” Erwich shared at a Television Critics Association event. “I’ve seen the first four episodes of that and I’m really excited about it. It’s definitely a different corner of the Marvel Universe in terms of its horror. It’s a really unique take on a horror show that has a unique family situation at the center of it.”

MODOK, Hit-Monkey, and Helstrom are all expected to hit Hulu sometime this year.