Marvel TV will create four 13-episode series, featuring Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage, followed by a 4-episode Defenders miniseries, for Netflix.  This announcement by Disney puts the flesh on the bones of an earlier report that a deal of this sort was in the works (see "Marvel Said to be Developing Four New TV Dramas and a Miniseries"). 

Disney is building a broad relationship with Netflix, which already has exclusive U.S. subscription TV service rights for first-run, theatrically released live action and animated movies from Disney, Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel, Disneynature and Lucasfilm.  That deal starts in 2016. 

The new series, set in Hell’s Kitchen, will start to roll out in 2015.  The Netflix order is for this minimum number of episodes (56 in all); so presumably more could be created if this first group is successful.

It’s not the first try for several of these characters.  The latest on Jessica Jones was a possible series at ABC (see "ABC Planning 'Hulk' and 'Jessica Jones' Pilots”), which was also to include Luke Cage and Ms. Marvel (see "Power Man & Ms. Marvel on TV").  Iron Fist and Daredevil (now back at Marvel) had been in development as movies. 

Disney CEO Robert Iger told CNBC Thursday afternoon that the characters featured in the Netflix shows weren't going to be on Disney networks anyway, so were appropriate for a deal with an outside network.  He noted that ABC has a Marvel show running, and Disney XD has Marvel shows, so Netflix represented an opportunity to monetize characters that wouldn't otherwise be earning.