Data predicted Netflix would cancel 'Daredevil,' and its remaining Marvel shows are probably next

Netflix

Netflix canceled its Marvel TV show, "Daredevil," on Thursday.

• Netflix canceled "Daredevil" after three seasons on Thursday.
• Social-media data suggested that this could happen, and the streaming company's other Marvel shows are likely next.
• Data showed that interest in "Daredevil" had fallen dramatically over time, similar to other canceled shows, "Luke Cage" and "Iron Fist."

To the disappointment of loyal fans who had called on Netflix to renew one of its remaining Marvel TV shows, "Daredevil," the streaming giant canceled the show on Thursday after three seasons.

But data showed interest in the series had dramatically fallen since its first season in 2015, so news that it got the ax wasn't surprising. The show followed a similar pattern to "Luke Cage" and "Iron Fist," which Netflix canceled last month after two seasons each. The remaining Marvel shows, "Jessica Jones" and "The Punisher," are probably next.

READ MORE: Fans are calling for Netflix to renew 'Daredevil,' but data suggests interest in the show has fallen off

Social-media data provided to Business Insider by consumer-insights company Crimson Hexagon showed that Twitter and Instagram posts for "Daredevil" had decreased from one season to the next. Season three, which was released in October, had half as many posts than season two, as seen in the graph below:

Crimson Hexagon

Social-media reaction to "Daredevil" decreased over time.

Since the season dropped, it has failed to spark much audience enthusiasm online, only spiking when the character's creator, Stan Lee, died earlier this month.

"Luke Cage" and "Iron Fist" also suffered from a lack of social-media buzz. Crimson Hexagon data showed that posts for "Luke Cage" had decreased from over 300,000 during the first season, to less than 50,000 when the second season was released this summer. "Iron Fist" dropped from 100,000 to less than 20,000 posts from the first to second seasons.

READ MORE: Interest in Netflix's 'Luke Cage' and 'Iron Fist' dropped dramatically over time, and its other Marvel shows could be in trouble

"Jessica Jones" and "The Punisher" are the only remaining Netflix Marvel shows, and fans should prepare to say goodbye. The data for "Jessica Jones" wasn't promising, either. Social-media posts dipped from almost 300,000 during season one to less than 150,000 for season two.

"The Punisher's" second season hasn't been released yet, so we can't compare data to the first season. The second season finished filming this year, so it remains to be seen how Netflix will proceed. If "Jessica Jones" is canceled, the likelihood of "The Punisher" getting renewed for a third season is close to zero.

These shows could also be casualties of the streaming war. Disney, which owns Marvel, is launching its own service next year called Disney+. That will include original series spinning off from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so Disney likely wants to limit competition as much as possible.

A big question is whether the Netflix Marvel shows could be revived on Disney+, but we probably won't be finding that out any time soon. Netflix said in a statement that "the three existing seasons will remain on the service for years to come, while the Daredevil character will live on in future projects for Marvel."

That suggests hope that Daredevil could be revived in some capacity, but not necessarily the version seen on Netflix.

Even with Disney entering the streaming game, the data suggests that "Daredevil," "Luke Cage," and "Iron Fist" were likely on the chopping block anyway.