Marvel TV’s Next Era Starts With a Surprising Spy Thriller After ‘Secret Wars’

Marvel Television’s live-action push on Disney+ has been an unpredictable ride. The Nov. 10 finale of ‘VisionQuest’ will close a five-year television experiment that began with ‘WandaVision’ in 2021. Whatever fans thought of individual shows, the era has clearly reshaped how the studio approaches the small screen.

That reshaping has come with some hard lessons. One Marvel Television insider told TheWrap that chasing the movies is tough, since a film is a two-hour statement while a TV show is an ongoing conversation with the audience that takes more people and more writers. The studio has also had some stumbles, including ‘Wonder Man’ being canceled after it was set to become only the third live-action Marvel Television show to get a second season.

Now comes the news that has fans rethinking what the next few years look like. ComicBook.com, citing TheWrap, reports that Marvel Television’s live-action projects will go quiet after ‘VisionQuest’ and ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 3 until after ‘Avengers: Secret Wars.’ That hiatus follows the third season of ‘Daredevil: Born Again,’ which was recently announced to be its final season.

The ‘Daredevil’ ending came as a jolt. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the show will end after Season 3, a decision that came around two months after filming wrapped, with Marvel reportedly parting ways with showrunner Dario Scardapane. The final season is expected to arrive on Disney+ sometime in 2027.

So what comes after the pause? According to the report, ‘Zodiac’ will launch Marvel TV’s next era. It is described as a “jumping-on point” for new fans, will be made on a more modest budget, and leaves room for known characters and actors to appear in supporting roles. That is a notable pivot for a studio that spent years building shows tightly tied to the larger MCU.

Marvel pulled back the curtain on the project just weeks ago. ‘Zodiac’ was revealed at the Marvel Television and Marvel Animation panel at New York Comic Con 2026 on Oct. 8, and it is a spy thriller headed to Disney+ in 2028. Marvel Television chief Brad Winderbaum also said filming will begin in London next spring.

Comic readers may already have some theories. In the comics, Zodiac is a criminal cartel inspired by astrological signs, with ties to S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra. Marvel has reportedly brought on Israeli writing partners Amit Cohen and Ron Leshem to develop the series, according to a Deadline report.

The budget angle makes strategic sense, too. AV Club noted that spy material tends to be cheaper than superhero material on a TV budget, since it needs fewer big space portals and giant set pieces. That matters when ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ has been called lackluster in terms of ratings.

For now, plenty remains unknown. No actors have been named, and Marvel has yet to reveal who is writing, directing or running the show, though Winderbaum said casting would begin within a couple of weeks.

It is a quieter, leaner road ahead for Marvel’s streaming slate. Whether a smaller ‘Zodiac’ can win over newcomers after ‘Secret Wars’ is the question that will define Marvel TV’s second act.