Update: Here's our Marvel expert weighing in on this rather surprising news.

Yesterday Blockbuster announced it was finally closing all of its stores in the U.S. Today Netflix announced that it's teaming up with Disney and Marvel to produce a whopping four new TV shows based on Marvel heroes. Oh how the times have changed. And lest you think the characters in question are obscure ones that Marvel wouldn't mind handing off as an experiment, think again: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage are each getting their own shows.

But if the news of four new Marvel shows wasn't insane enough, just wait until you hear their plan for it all:

"...the epic will unfold over multiple years of original programming, taking Netflix members deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell's Kitchen, New York. Netflix has committed to a minimum of four, 13-episodes series and a culminating Marvel's The Defenders miniseries event that reimagines a dream team of self-sacrificing, heroic characters."

Yes, that's right. Netflix is basically producing the TV equivalent of what Marvel has done on the big screen. It's going to take several different characters, give them all their own shows in a shared universe where they can intersect with one another, and then let it all culminate with an Avengers-esque special that brings all of the heroes together. Now that is ambitious television!

Now, if you're freaking out because ABC's Marvel: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has kind of let you down, let's at least remember that Netflix's original programming has been consistently better produced than most networks can manage these days. It has incredible casts and fantastic production values, so really it is a perfect fit for something like this. And since Netflix has committed to four 13-episode series and the "miniseries event" that ties it all together up front, that means there's no need to play a ratings game. Netflix doesn't have to keep tweaking everything as the shows air depending on who is tuning in. No dip in ratings is going to kill the series. Entire seasons will already be in the can before anyone sees a single one. (Which is how all TV should be produced, if you ask us.)

As for when this is all happening, unfortunately you Daredevil fans out there are going to have to wait until 2015. But considering that when you started reading this post, you had no idea this was going to ever be a thing (Disney loves surprise announcements), the wait shouldn't be too bad.

Oh, who are we kidding. The wait is going to be brutal. This is an insane, unprecedented plan, and we're already rabid to see it play out.

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