Parenting Group Says Disney Tainting Family-friendly Brand With Addition of Violent Marvel Shows on Disney+

Parents Television and Media Council (PTC), a watchdog parenting group, issued a statement against Disney's decision to stream half a dozen of old Marvel superhero TV shows on its streaming platform, Disney+.

"Daredevil," "The Punisher," "Jessica Jones," "Luke Cage," "Iron Fist," and "The Defenders," which used to stream on Netflix until 2018, will finally be available to Disney+ subscribers beginning Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

PTC stated in its open letter addressed to Disney on ParentsTV.Org that the move is a violation of the trust families have given to the family-friendly brand as these shows carry either an MA- (mature) or R- (restricted) rating that is not recommended for children's viewing.

PTC President Tim Winter said that having these Marvel superhero TV shows is "wildly off-brand" and will "tarnish" the reputation that Disney built for nearly a century, especially since its primary consumers are parents and families with young kids.

Disney+ to Update Parental Controls

However, Disney+ said it would be updating its parental controls in line with the release of these MA- and R-rated shows. According to Variety, parents will be able to tinker with their profiles to restrict the viewing access of the children based on the ratings. The profiles may also be locked with a designated PIN so that parents will have additional controls over what their children can or cannot watch from the streaming service.

Winter acknowledged and applauded Disney+ for these additional parental controls, but he claimed that the PTC is still uncomfortable with the mere presence of these shows on the streamer. He believes that Disney doesn't have to compete for content with other streamers.

On the other hand, fans of these Marvel shows have been clamoring for years for its re-airing. Disney, however, had to honor its agreement with Netflix, which had the rights to "Daredevil" and the rest of the series, for at least two more years after its cancellation.

Disney+ has other Marvel superhero series in its library, such as "Loki" and "WandaVision," which carry a PG- (parental guidance) or age-restricted rating for those under 14 years old. Initially, industry insiders thought that the upcoming Marvel shows would be carried over to Hulu, another Disney streaming platform, because it's where mature or R-rated Marvel films like "Deadpool" or "Moduk" air.

However, Disney+ CEO Michael Paull said via The Verge that they decided to put "Daredevil" and the rest of the controversial shows on Disney+ as the streamer is doing well across its global markets compared to Hulu, which is only available in the U.S.

PTC Petitions "Euphoria" Cancellation

Meanwhile, PTC is not just going after the Disney brand as the organization also launched a petition calling for the cancellation of "Euphoria" on HBO. The parenting group said that the series glamorizes drug use and proliferates pornography in children. However, HBO has renewed the series for a third season.

PTC has also previously demanded the cancellation of "13 Reasons Why" on Netflix for its teen suicide controversy in the first episode. The show, however, went on to run for three seasons.

PTC has been a long-existing watchdog with an aim to monitor and restore decency in the entertainment industry. The group wants to uphold a positive and family-oriented viewing experience for every American family and protect the children from the violence and graphic depictions of certain scenes in the media.