Once again,Disney+has restored the original versions of some of their Marvel shows, this time restoring the tributes toStan LeeandReg E. Catheyto the final episodes ofThe PunisherandLuke Cagerespectively. Following the arrival of the former Netflix Marvel Television series on Disney+, some fans had expected there could possibly be cuts made to the frequently adult-themed shows such asJessica Jones, Daredevil,andThe Punisher. However, what was not expected was the removal of tributes to Marvel legend Lee andLuke Cagestar Cathey, and it led to a certain amount of outcry amongst fans on social media.
The edits were not the first changes to Marvel shows to be noticed by eagle-eyed fans recently. Last month it was pointed out that an episode ofThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierhad a scene altered to remove blood splatters and another changed to remove the moment an assailant was skewered in the shoulder by a metal bar. These were later said to have been made in error when alternate version of the episode was uploaded to make a correction to the episode’s credits. Disney said that the original version would be restored soon.
Now it looks like Disney has once again been backtracking on edits that can only be assumed to have been done by accident while Netflix branding was being removed from the shows. This means that the original tribute to Stan Lee seen after the finale ofThe Punisher, and the one in memory of actor Reg E. Cathey from the final episode ofLuke Cage, in which he appeared as the father of the title character, are now both back where many will agree they belong.
Related:Disney+ Quietly Make Edits to Violent Scenes in Marvel TV Series
The arrival of Marvel Television’s Netflix shows has been welcomed by many fans, but not everyone was pleased to see the more mature Marvel shows being added to the Disney+ platform in the U.S.. Until now, the U.S. version of the platform has only carried family-friendly programs and movies, but the arrival of the likes ofDaredevilled to the introduction of parental controls being added. In most international locations, Disney+ already features these controls and includes mature content via the Star brand, which carries a lot of content that is found on Hulu in America.
The changes on the platform were called the “death of Disney+” by a select few because it meant the streamer was “no longer safe” for children to watch without controls or restrictions. Obviously, this is far from the case, and the addition of parental controls is really just bringing the U.S. version of Disney+ in line with most other countries and allowing Disney to streamline their output.
