Casting News| Cloak & Dagger Finds its Heroes
Comic book fans can celebrate today as Marvel and Freeform have cast the two title characters for their upcoming Cloak & Dagger TV Series. Olivia Holt (Kickin' It, Girl vs. Monster, I Didn't Do It) will play Tandy Bowen a.k.a. Dagger. Her vigilante partner Tyrone Johnson, alias Cloak, will be brought to the screen by Aubrey Joseph (The Night Of). The show, coming to Freeform, explores the personal lives and adventures of the two heroes.
Marvel has been exploring different formats for their TV series over the last five years. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., on ABC, started out strong but has received mix reviews in recent seasons. The Netflix branch of the universe, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage have earned much fanfare, with each series setting up a unique universe that compliments the style of its titular hero. While not much work has been done on the Cloak & Dagger series so far, the placement of the show on Freeform seems to suggest that it will lean into the more stylized format.
Historically, Disney has used Freeform (formerly ABC Family) as a platform for programming geared towards teenagers and young adults. The well-known nature of the channel could work very well with these two characters. Much of the Cloak & Dagger story is centered Bowen and Johnson's personal relationship, and how that effects their lives as superheroes.
Since Marvel and Netflix have found success matching style and content, it is likely that Marvel's Cloak & Dagger will thrive on Freeform. What remains to be seen is if the style will hinder the show, leading to Marvel's famous action set pieces being replaced by date nights or couple talks. We certainly hope not. Considering the success the CW (another network known for teen drama) has had with Arrow and The Flash, it seems that the show could be on an excellent track towards finding the exact right tone for the show.
Let us know what you think the show will be like in the comments below, and be sure to check back later in the week when we give you the run down on everything you need to know about Cloak & Dagger from their comic book lives.