New Disney+ original series Marvel's 616 launches today on the streaming platform, exploring different aspects of Marvel and its fandom, from a variety of different viewpoints.

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The docu-series consists of eight films, each helmed by a different director and each exploring a distinct part of the Marvel universe - from the unsung women who made the comics giant what it is today, to cosplay, art and "forgotten" heroes who didn't reach the popular heights of Spider-Man and the X-Men.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Marvel's 616 executive producer Sarah Amos insisted that there are many more stories to tell beyond these initial eight.

“Right now we are just focused on making sure people watch this season!" said Amos. "But yes, we definitely… we have so many amazing creators and stories and characters to play with that we could continue to tell these types of stories for a very long time.

"Hopefully we will get the chance to, in a variety of fashions - because I think equally as important as getting to tell our Marvel stories is making sure that we are shining a light on the people behind the scenes who have really done all the work to bring it out into the world."

Marvel's 616
Disney+/Arturo Holmes

The first season of eight films vary in length, subject matter and tone - with some more hard-hitting and others more light-hearted. This was a very deliberate decision taken by the Marvel's 616 creative team, who wanted the series to reflect the rich tapestry of the Marvel canon.

"If you look at the history of Marvel and Marvel comics, we have 80 years of content," Amos explained. "If you go to your local store and you pick up a Marvel Knights run, you’re going to get gritty street-level [stories] and if you pick up a Gwenpool you’re gonna get comedy and if you pick up a Captain America you’re gonna get classic Marvel at its finest...

"We wanted to bring that same variety into this series. There are a lot of different touchpoints and ways that Marvel fans have found us or have connected with us and we wanted to try and show the biggest possible breadth of that world in the series and hopefully we’ve achieved that."

You can watch directors Gillian Jacobs and Alison Brie discuss their Marvel's 616 films with RadioTimes.com below.

Jacobs’ episode, ‘Higher Further Faster’, explores the impact of Marvel's key female characters and also documents the path of the unsung female creatives who have contributed so much to the comics industry.

Brie’s film is titled ‘Marvel Spotlight’ and focuses on an initiative launched last year which saw Marvel produce three short one-act plays designed for high school theatre students to perform.

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Other films in the first season include ‘Japanese Spider-Man’ by Chef’s Table creator David Gelb, ‘Amazing Artisans’ by Unsolved Mysteries director, Clay Jeter, ‘Lost and Found’ by actor, writer and comedian Paul Scheer, ‘Suit Up!’ by 7 Days Out filmmaker Andrew Rossi, ‘Unboxed’ helmed by Parenthood’s Sarah Ramos and ‘The Marvel Method’ from Bryan Oakes.
Marvel’s 616 launches on Friday, 20th November on Disney+ – you can sign up to Disney+ now for £5.99 per month or £59.99 a year in the UK.Check out our guides to the best shows on Disney Plus and the best movies on Disney Plus, or see what else is on with our TV Guide

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