She-Hulk, which has Primetime Emmy-winner Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black; Stronger) starring in the lead role, is arguably one of Marvel Studios' more anticipated Disney+ series, especially considering all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-ins the show is rumored to contain.
However, despite all the excitement, a recent report suggested there might be some trouble in paradise, and that the show was experiencing production difficulties, with The Ankler's Jeff Sneider saying, "I've heard not good things behind-the-scenes," which is what might have led to the project being delayed.
Now, we have another note from former The Hollywood Reporter editor and Puck co-founder Matthew Belloni, who seemingly corroborates the initial report, independently noting that he's also heard it's "a mess."
In his latest newsletter, where he covered the growth of Disney+ and its future, Belloni also broke down the first-week performances of the live-action Marvel Studios series on Disney+, comparing the Avenger-fronted shows - Hawkeye (14.2M), Loki (12.2M), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (8.3M), WandaVision (7.2M) - versus the only show that introduced a new character, Moon Knight (7M).
Contemplating Marvel Studios' strategy moving forward on the platform, he shared the following tidbit and also revealed that Mark Ruffalo apparently only has a small role in the series, although it seems likely he'll still feature prominently in marketing to help drum up interest.
"So Moon Knight generated about half the initial viewership as Hawkeye, and many fans seem to dislike it intensely. I recently discussed the question of whether Marvel has a creative problem on my podcast, The Town, but even from a purely business perspective, Marvel needs to figure out how to generate Avenger-level interest from non-Avenger properties.
The upcoming She-Hulk is supposedly a mess, I’ve heard (even with Mark Ruffalo in a small role), and Ms. Marvel is another big test for fans. Nobody’s saying Marvel’s TV output is in trouble, but it’s something to keep an eye on."
While we'll always bet on Marvel Studios to sort things out and deliver the best product imaginable, this story is something to monitor. There's also a good chance much of what's being said about the series has already been resolved at this point since it looks like the show could be with us a lot sooner than expected.
According to the Disney+ UK website, She-Hulk will premiere with its ten-episode freshman season on Wednesday, August 17. If that date is accurate, the series will debut only a few short weeks after the Ms. Marvel finale and could suggest a possible November launch date for Secret Invasion.
In addition to Maslany and Ruffalo, the cast is expected to feature Tim Roth, Ginger Gonzaga, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jameela Jamil, Anais Almonte, and Josh Segarra. A number of cameos have also been heavily rumored, but no confirmation just yet.