Marvel in ‘Active Talks’ With ABC For Female-Focused Superhero Series

ABC is losing its sole Marvel series next year when Agent of SHIELD bows out, but the network is in active talks for a new one. ABC Network president Karey Burke told Deadline that they are in “active talks” for a series that would fit in with its strategy of female-focused superheroes.

“I have spoken to Marvel and we are in active talks about one project in particular,” Burke said, noting that the character would be “something brand new, mostly” and thus not a spinoff of Agents of SHIELD. This is a different project than the one being develed by Allan Heinberg (Wonder Woman) that would focus on lesser-known female Marvel characters. That series got a production commitment.

ABC has had mixed success with its Marvel shows. Agents of SHIELD is popular among Marvel fans but struggled in the ratings after its first season; Agent Carter was beloved but also not a particular ratings success in its two season-run. Marvel’s Inhumans, run by Iron Fist showrunner Scott Buck, was not only disliked by fans and critics but bombed in the ratings.

Marvel has many other projects in play, albeit at different networks — mostly Disney+, though they also have Runaways on Hulu and Cloak and Dagger at Freeform.