Marvel’s Runaways returns in December, but the kids won’t be alone. They’ll be joined by the stars of Freeform’s Cloak and Dagger in a crossover event. Gizmodo had a chance to ask the Runaways’ cast and executive producers all about it last weekend at New York Comic Con.
During an interview at Gizmodo’s studio at NYCC, Deputy Editor Jill Pantozzi chatted with the cast and crew of Runaways about the upcoming crossover with Cloak and Dagger.
The event is something the showrunners have said they’ve been trying to do for a long time, and the cast told Gizmodo the Freeform stars — Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph — brought new energy to the show. Gregg Sulkin, who plays Chase, said it helped unite everyone after such a “challenging season,” with co-star Rhenzy Feliz (Alex) noting that we’ll get to see a lot of interplay with their powers… and a few nasty jabs back and forth.
The episode will also open up Cloak and Dagger’s story in a significant way, as it looks to mark the first time those two characters have met any other teenagers with powers. Given how isolated they’ve been, it will probably be a big deal for them to learn they’re not actually alone.
Gizmodo: We know now that the Cloak and Dagger characters are going to be crossing over and everyone is pretty excited about it. How did that happen? And then, was there any thinking about sort of, very subtly connecting the Hulu series through the Marvel Netflix series because of the Freeform series?
Jeph Loeb, Executive VP Marvel Television: Just to be clear there’s… there is no Netflix in any of that but in the—
Gizmodo: But there was a Netflix character, I believe one of Missy’s cop friends in the Freeform show.
Loeb: Oh that part, ok got it. Wow, you’re really playing — Look, all I do is get in trouble for saying it’s all connected, but folks, it is all connected. This was an opportunity that we talked about really in season one. The young heroes of the Marvel Universe have always had a relationship with each other.
Stephanie Savage, showrunner: Cloak and Dagger are in The Runaways books, so it’s always been something that we wanted to do. And this year it just really made sense, in terms of the story that we were telling and how our story connects to something that is happening also in their world.
Josh Schwartz, showrunner: It was also something, the cast all knows each other from the different shows and it was something they were excited about doing. And I think we’ve all been very proactively knocking on Jeph’s door and saying, “Can we do it this year Jeph, please?” And so this was the year that it all came together and it’s gonna be great.
Gregg Sulkin (Chase): To be honest, this season was a very challenging season for all of us. I think having Olivia and Aubrey come into our world really helped us. They brought such great energy to set and it united everybody. Then carried on with their energy even when they had left and used what we had, you know, taken from the episode and really tried to finish the season strongly. So we loved having them on set.
Rhenzy Feliz (Alex): Yeah it was pretty awesome. Also, you know, Cloak and Dagger, just to get to see their powers sort of mix with ours. The dynamics of us, you know, as we banter a lot on the show and sort of crack jokes back at each other — sometimes meanly — but it’s like sort of getting to see them jump into that fold. And that was super fun.
Getting to see, you know, powers sort of meshed together that was… I can’t wait to watch, because we’re doing this [makes a hand motion] all day — well, we’re not, she’s doing this all day [gestures toward Allegra Acosta (Molly)]. They’re doing these things all day without anything there. When we actually get to see it. I’m excited for that.
Allegra Acosta: In addition, I think at the point that Cloak and Dagger are now, they have no idea that other kids have powers like they do. And it’s really exciting to play with that dynamic. And I think when they come together it’s almost like you’re expanding onto a whole new world of what Marvel can do in the TV world.
And just to see that onscreen for the first time with our show works, we’re extremely lucky, and we’re extremely blessed to have them on. They’re also just amazing, amazing people and they really took on their roles proudly and they just really fit well with our show.