The Disney+ Marvel Series That Will Never Be Part Of The MCU Stars The Darkest Hero Ever
The 2020 urban fantasy Helstrom is available to stream via the Hulu section of Disney+. Created by Paul Zbyszewski, the 10-episode series is based on the Marvel Comics characters Daimon and Satana Hellstrom. The show, produced by Marvel Television and ABC Signature Studios, stars Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon as the titular Helstrom siblings.
Helstrom On Netflix
Daimon and Ana Helstrom are the offspring of a powerful and mysterious serial killer. As adults, they become estranged but reunite to confront their family’s dark past and battle supernatural forces. Daimon is an ethics professor with exorcism abilities, while Ana runs an auction house daily and fights demons by night.
Their mother, Victoria (Elizabeth Marvel), is possessed by a demon and lives out her days in the confines of Saint Teresa’s. When an orderly disappears after a raid on a demonic tomb, Daimon is tasked with investigating the incident with Gabriella Rosetti (Ariana Guerra), an agent from the Vatican.
When Ana and the Caretaker discover a strange skeleton in the same tomb, she takes the skull to examine.
Powerful Demons
The siblings reunite at Saint Teresa’s when Daimon finds a symbol his mother has drawn on a wall identical to the one Ana discovered on the skull.
The Helstrom siblings continue their investigation and realize that a powerful demon named Kthara has possessed their mother. The pair delve into their father’s journal to uncover more about their demonic lineage.
As the demonic threat grows, Daimon, Ana, and Gabriella work together to contain the supernatural entities. Relationships are tested as the characters grapple with their responsibilities and the presence of demonic forces. In the season finale, the Helstrom siblings and Gabriella confront the ultimate evil threatening to unleash chaos upon the world.
Part Of Marvel’s Television Lineup
Helstrom was announced in 2019 as part of Marvel Television’s lineup. The show was developed for Hulu, marking Marvel’s entry into horror-themed content.
However, the series premiered in October 2020, a few months after Marvel Television was restructured under Marvel Studios, and it was clear that Marvel Studios was focusing more on its Disney+ projects.
Eventually No Longer Marvel
In April 2020, Marvel terminated its overall deal with Paul Zbyszewski, partly due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Zbyszewski continued post-production work on the series. By July, the series no longer had “Marvel” in its title as Disney chose to distance Helstrom and its horror-based content from the Marvel brand.
The decision aimed to prevent viewers from confusing it with the tone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. The Marvel logo did not appear before each episode.
On December 14, 2020, Hulu canceled Helstrom, marking it as the final live-action Marvel series produced through Marvel Television, following its merger with Marvel Studios.
Poor Reception To Start
Helstrom received a poor to mixed reception, as critics and viewers had varied opinions on the show. Some praised its darker tone and horror elements, while others found the storytelling uneven and the pacing slow.
The performances of the cast, especially Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon, received some positive reviews, but the show did not generate the same enthusiasm as other Marvel properties.
Stream Helstrom In Disney+’s Hulu Section
Other shows like Gifted, Legion, Runaways, and Cloak and Dagger were also canceled as part of a broader shift in Marvel’s strategy for television content.
Some were dropped due to poor ratings, while others were axed because the studio wanted to place a greater emphasis on interconnected storytelling on Disney+ and a move away from separate, more standalone series on other platforms.
To watch Helstrom via Disney+’s Hulu section, which is still in its beta version, viewers will require a subscription to both services.
