Well, it is official the Joseph Loeb Marvel Television live-action era is officially over. In a shock to nobody, Hulu has canceled its comic book horror series Helstrom after one season.
Marvel’s live-action series’ are now being released exclusively on Disney+ and are either direct spinoffs from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and/or direct tie-ins to the overall storyline of the MCU. The Loeb-era shows were never directly tied-into the MCU, although Loeb would always joke that they were.
Helstrom was picked up to series in May 2019 alongside a live-action Ghost Rider, featuring Gabriel Luna, reprising the role from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Four months later, Hulu pulled the plug on Ghost Rider after creative differences with the project.
All that remains from Loeb now are two animated series at Hulu, MODOK, starring Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille) and Hit-Monkey. Both shows are on track to bow during the first half of 2021. (MODOK and Hit-Monkey are all that remains of the four-show-and-a-special animated universe that Marvel and Loeb originally envisioned for Hulu. The other two shows, Howard the Duck and Tigra & Dazzler, like Ghost Rider, were scrapped in January following creative differences.
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As the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer, Helstrom follows Daimon (Tom Austen) and Ana Helstrom (Sydney Lemmon), and their complicated dynamic, as they track down the worst of humanity — each with their own attitude and skills.
Rounding out the Helstrom cast is Robert Wisdom (Watchmen) as a guardian of occult knowledge Caretaker, who uses his insights and relationship with Ana “to help keep demonic forces at bay”; June Carryl (Mindhunter) as Dr. Louise Hastings, the head psychologist at the hospital monitoring Victoria; Ariana Guerra (Insatiable) as Gabriella Rosetti, a woman from the Vatican helping Daimon and Hastings “uncover cases of demonic possession”; and the aforementioned Alain Uy (The Passage) as Ana’s business partner and closest friend Chris Yen, who “carries out the bulk of the auction house’s responsibilities and assists Ana with whatever she needs.”
Helstrom was directed by Daina Reid (The Handmaid’s Tale), along with Finnish director Anders Engström. The series was written by Paul Zbyszewski (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).
