Cloak & Dagger executive producer Joe Pokaski talks about the latest Marvel TV series’ many MCU nods and tie-ins. The forthcoming Freeform show produced by ABC Signature Studios and Marvel Television features Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph as the titular heroes, Tandy Bowen/Dagger and Tyrone Johnson/Cloak, respectively. Throughout their adventures as teenagers who acquire superpowers, the two gets romantically involved with each other, adding another layer of complexity to their relationship.
The show’s first season consists of 10 episodes, which will start airing tonight and will run until August 2. Early reviews for Cloak & Dagger have been generally positive, with critics specifically praising the chemistry between Holt and Joseph. However, as with most Marvel TV shows, it sounds like the series suffers from slow pacing especially in its first few episodes.
Speaking with TVLine to promote Cloak & Dagger, Pokaski teased what Marvel fans can expect from the TV series with regard to tie-ins to the greater MCU. While he’s “not allowed to talk about the timing in terms of Infinity War,” the executive producer is confident that Tandy and Tyrone are going to be a part of the overall MCU narrative. “We’ve had some exciting conversations about how we could artfully cross Tandy and Tyrone over [to other Marvel properties]. The beauty of these two is that they can show up anywhere [and it makes sense]," he said. That said, it might still take a while before they make a jump onto other Marvel properties, considering that season 1 of the new show will mainly focus on establishing their characters.
To further prove his point about Cloak & Dagger’s strong connections to the bigger MCU, Pokaski proudly shared that “there are at least a dozen Easter eggs in the first season that Marvel approved, and a few more that I snuck in there.” He particularly cited Roxxon Corp., which has already been featured in both Iron Man 1 and Iron Man 2. It was also in ABC’s Agent Carter, as well as Netflix’s Daredevil and Iron Fist. “We’re excited to have Roxxon Gulf, our Louisiana version of Roxxon, represented,” Pokaski added.
Should this be the case, Cloak & Dagger could be the very first MCU TV show to feature main characters who make the jump to the big screen - with the exceptions of Phil Coulson and Peggy Carter, who debuted in the MCU films before their TV shows. Despite a slew of small screen projects, it has always felt that there’s discord between the two Marvel Entertainment branches. While ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as the rest of the Netflix-housed series continue referencing the events from their big screen counterparts, the films almost never acknowledge the TV series, despite the tagline: “It’s All Connected.”
Of course, although Pokaski seems to have a grand plan with regard to how Cloak & Dagger will evolve to become a pivotal part of the MCU, it’ll still all boil down to people’s reaction to the show. As previously mentioned, critics seem to like it despite a few issues here and there, which is a good thing. But the final verdict whether or not the series will be another hit remains at the hands of the general viewing audience.
MORE: Watch Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger Stars Quiz Each Other
Cloak & Dagger premieres today, June 7, 8 pm ET on Freeform.
Source: TVLine
