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Marvel Television’s Echo marks several significant milestones for the studio, including its inaugural TV-ma series and the first title under the Marvel Spotlight banner. Additionally, it is now the first Marvel production available in the Choctaw language.

Premiering on Disney+ in January, this five-episode series follows Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she becomes the target of Wilson Fisk’s crime syndicate. Her journey leads her back to Oklahoma, where she must confront her family and reconnect with her heritage. This intense and grounded series delves into Maya’s quest for power and revenge, highlighting her roots in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

To ensure an accurate representation of Choctaw culture, the filmmakers collaborated closely with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, working alongside key leaders such as Chief Gary Batton, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Dr. Ian Thompson, and Executive Director of Cultural Services Seth Fairchild. Prioritizing the integrity of Choctaw history and culture,...

Marvel Television’s Echo brought a few firsts to the studio, including its first TV-ma show and the first series under the Marvel Spotlight banner. Now, it’s also the first Marvel show available in the Choctaw language.

Echo premiered on Disney+ in January. The five-episode series follows Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she’s hunted by Wilson Fisk’s crime empire. When her journey takes her back home to Oklahoma, she’s forced to face her family and heritage. The intense, down-to-earth series tells Maya’s story of power and revenge, with a focus on her roots in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

To ensure the series reflected Choctaw culture accurately, filmmakers worked with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, collaborating with leaders like Chief Gary Batton, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Dr. Ian Thompson, and Executive Director of Cultural Services Seth Fairchild. Getting Choctaw history and culture right was a top priority,...

Marvel Studios has been in the business of dominating the silver screen for the past 16 years. In the past four, however, it has turned its attention to the small one, too. The Disney Plus streaming service allowed Kevin Feige and all involved in Hollywood's biggest franchise to tell stories on television, and they wasted little time in producing bangers with the Emmy-winning WandaVision. That was followed by The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, What If...?, and Hawkeye, which made for an incredible first year of TV from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

There have been multiple highs and lows since (and not just on the small screen), with some of the shows not engaging viewers in the way that those aforementioned ones did. And it has all led to Marvel attempting to alter its release strategy, with reports that the studio may end up renewing some of the shows it...

Disney has revealed that four all-new collector's editions of Disney+ Original Series from Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios will be available on 4K Uhd on December 3. Once again featuring SteelBook packaging, exclusive concept art cards, and never-before-seen bonus content, these go up for pre-order on October 31.

This time, we're getting Marvel Studios' Loki - The Complete Second Season, Marvel Studios' Hawkeye - The Complete First Season, Star Wars: The Mandalorian - The Complete Third Season, and Star Wars: Ahsoka - The Complete First Season.

Like the Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios Collector’s Editions released earlier this year, each of these new releases will boast brand-new box art designed by popular artist Attila Szarka.

The Mandalorian and Ahsoka aren't getting any deleted scenes, but there are plenty for Loki and Hawkeye. In the latter's case, it appears a lot was left on the cutting room floor, including flashbacks featuring characters like Kate Bishop,...

Marvel Comics' new "Ultimate" universe is now knee-deep in its publication, but that shouldn't scare new readers into missing out on "Ultimates" by Deniz Camp.

Set in a version of the Marvel Universe ("Earth-6160") where everything went wrong because of the evil Maker, "Ultimates" follows some familiar heroes trying to build the superhero team the world deserves. Many of these new "Ultimate" heroes have familiar names, but very different backgrounds. Last month's "Ultimates" #4 depicted how this Reed Richards, robbed of his family and future by the Maker, became a heroic Doctor Doom, not Mister Fantastic. The soon-to-publish "Ultimates" #5 (drawn by Juan Frigeri) is making ground-up changes to Hawkeye.

"Ultimates" is the most radical book Marvel's publishing right now — and Camp knows what he's doing. His breakout hit at Image Comics, "20th Century Men," reimagined the Soviet-Afghan War in a world where superpowers had superhero soldiers. Camp has brought that same...

Marvel Rivals is known for its exciting roster of characters filled with popular Marvel characters, each bringing their own unique flair to the game. But occasionally, and rather rarely, there have been some niche characters like the recently revealed Jeff the Land Shark.

While fans eagerly anticipate new beloved additions, less-popular and weird superheroes might not make the cut. From quirky personalities to unconventional powers, these heroes could add a fresh twist to the roster. But, for various reasons, they might remain on the sidelines.

5. Squirrel Girl Squirrel Girl is as niche as it gets. Image via Marvel.

Squirrel Girl is a fan favorite due to her quirky nature and surprising powers. Despite her quirky appearance and powers that involve communicating with squirrels, she’s proven to be a formidable superhero in various Marvel storylines and comics.

Her unusual abilities might not align well with the combat style of the game.

“Deadpool and Wolverine” has taken the US and worldwide box office by storm with the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine coupled with Ryan Reynolds‘ Deadpool proving a mouth-watering match for superhero fans across the globe.

The film, directed by Shawn Levy, features the Time Variance Authority (the Tva) with Matthew Macfadyen starring in a key role as a Tva agent. This organization manages and maintains the various timelines across the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and they originated on-screen in the Disney+ TV series “Loki,” starring Tom Hiddleston as the titular anti-hero. This was one of many MCU shows that fans flocked to watch.

The MCU first dipped its toes into TV with “WandaVision,” which followed Elizabeth Olsen‘s Scarlet Witch as she tried to bring back Paul Bettany‘s Vision while stuck under the control of Kathryn Hahn‘s Agatha. “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” explored the legacy...

There may have not been as much television in 2024 so far as in previous years, but there was a Hell of a lot of great TV in the first half of this year.

The harsh beauty of FX’s Shōgun, the depths of Baby Reindeer and Big Mood, the wit of Diarra from Detroit, and the surprising scope of X-Men ’97 set a very high standard. The icy reset that is the Issa López created True Detective: Night Country was another such high. Add to that the historical script flip of The Sympathizer, the sometimes brutal honestly of Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, Diane Lane and Jeff Daniels’ masterclass in A Man in Full, and the barrier drop kicking of Echo.

So, if you are looking for some true creative fireworks this Independence Day, may I suggest casting your eyes over our selection of some of the best new shows of 2024 so far.

When Alaqua Cox was cast as the character Maya Lopez in the 2021 limited series “Hawkeye,” she knew she had made history as the first deaf character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What she didn’t know was that there she’d soon be starring in her own spin-off series, “Echo,” centered on the iconic Indigenous hero’s return to her hometown in Oklahoma. And, in an unexpected twist, was given the news while “Hawkeye” was in production.

Continue reading ‘Echo’: Alaqua Cox Says Representing Multiple Minority Communities “Meant The World” at The Playlist.

In 2021, viewers were introduced to Alaqua Cox in her role as Maya Lopez through the Disney+ original series Hawkeye, but they really got to see her shine at the start of 2024 with the debut of her series, Echo, which shifted to focus to her titular character and the Indigenous community she was born from. “I went from a small supporting role [to becoming] number one on the call sheets,” the actress shares with TV Insider. “So that meant, of course, more work hours. So that was a big difference.” But for Cox, having a primarily Indigenous crew in front of and behind the camera also made a difference. “They were amazing to work with because when you’re with Indigenous people, it felt like home… you just feel the vibes and they understand each other. The inside jokes between the Indigenous people… our community has our own little jokes and whatnot, so...

Percy Jackson Reboot, Marvel’s Echo, X-Men ‘97 Lead in Disney+ Original Series Viewership - Main Image

Disney’s bets on its existing IP catalogue reveal to be a success. Variety and independent data insights company Luminate report that book and comic adaptations lead the numbers for Disney+ original series viewership, with data collected from December 29, 2023, to May 10, 2024.

The first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians took the first spot, with 23.3% of original series viewing time on Disney+ spent following the story of a demigod trying to find his place in the world as a son of Poseidon. Loyal fans of the YA novel embraced the show’s faithfulness to the book after going through failed film adaptations in the early 2010s.

Related: Percy Jackson’s Kill Count in the Books is Enormous Beyond Belief

Despite lukewarm reviews, Marvel’s Echo placed second in viewership at 11.8%, an impressive feat...

Variety has shared a piece on 2024's streaming titles, confirming Echo is the second most-viewed series on Disney+ this year so far. It's an impressive achievement, particularly as Marvel Studios dropped all five episodes at once, leading to the show being quickly forgotten.

We've seen in recent years that weekly drops are much better for keeping people talking about new titles (which goes against Netflix's once highly successful streaming model of releasing every episode at once).

Rumour has it Echo suffered from quite a few issues behind the scenes, with six instalments becoming five, as a result. That could explain why they hit Disney+ on the same day, though reviews were somewhat positive as is evident from the show's 71% Rotten Tomatoes score.

However, putting this news into context is the fact, "[Percy Jackson and the Olympians] accounts for nearly a quarter of Disney+ original series viewing time so far...

First appearing in the 2021 Disney+ MCU miniseries Hawkeye, Alaqua Cox made a splash with the audience through her understated yet impactful performance as Maya Lopez in the show, which also set her up for her bright future in the franchise. And the audiences were not left disappointed when she appeared again in her own standalone miniseries as the titular character Echo.

Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez in a still from Hawkeye

After the series wrapped up, the possibilities for the character skyrocketed to new heights with the multiverse opening new gates for the future. Thus, if there is to be a season 2 somewhere down the line, then Cox revealed that she would want her character to fight the Green Goblin from the Spider-Man films, which many fans are calling a pipe dream.

Alaqua Cox Wants Echo To Fight Green Goblin in a Potential Season Two

Alaqua Cox in and as...

Alaqua Cox’s character Maya Lopez, the adopted daughter of the supervillain Kingpin, made her debut in Jonathan Igla’s Hawkeye (2021). The character, also referred to as Echo, is among the few deaf comic book characters. Following that, the actress played the lead role in the spin-off series Echo (2024), which co-starred Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil.

Alaqua Cox in and as Echo

It remains to be seen where Cox’s character will appear following the conclusion of the Echo finale, but Marvel Studios is obviously putting time, resources, and efforts into the new fan-favorite character. The actress, 27, recently discussed what she is looking forward to from the potential second season. Cox’s wish to join forces with Daredevil, a street-level superhero from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is what has everyone’s attention.

Alaqua Cox’s Ambitions to Join Forces with Daredevil

Previously, Alaqua Cox spoke with Screen Rant about...

The cast of Peacock’s Teacup continues to grow.

Chaske Spencer has signed on to the horror thriller, which is inspired by Robert McCammon’s novel Stinger. The Echo star joins Yvonne Strahovski and Scott Speedman in the series from Universal Studio Group’s UCP and James Wan’s Atomic Monster.

As was the case with Strahovski’s and Speedman’s casting, most details on Spencer’s role are being kept under wraps for now. He’ll play a character named Ruben Shanley.

Teacup will follow a group of people in rural Georgia who must come together in the face of a mysterious threat in order to survive. The show’s setting departs from the novel, which took place in Texas. Peacock gave the project a series order in late 2022 after several months of development.

Ian McCulloch (Yellowstone) adapted the novel and will executive produce with Atomic Monster’s Wan,...

This Daredevil article contains spoilers.

Daredevil: Born Again is currently filming in New York City, which means photos are starting to leak from the show’s sets. Since the widely reported creative overhaul that saw the upcoming Disney+ series change directions, we’ve had our first look at not only the return of Matt Murdock’s best pals, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), but also confirmation that Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) will be running for mayor on the series, just like in the Marvel comics.

Now we’re also getting our first look at the suit Daredevil will wear on the new show. Spoiler: Marvel is ditching the gold and burgundy suit the Man Without Fear wore for his walk of shame on She-Hulk in 2022. It’s also slightly different from the Netflix era one actor Charlie Cox put on for his fight with Maya Lopez in the Echo miniseries.

Wilson Fisk very much ascribes to the "Speak softly and carry a big stick" philosophy. Except, the crime boss of Hell's Kitchen doesn't need a big stick -- he's got himself. Whether on the pages of a comic book or the screen, the man they call Kingpin always towers over everyone around him. "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," once again demonstrating that animation is uniquely equipped for the superhero genre, exaggerates the proportion of Fisk's shoulders to his head to an absurd degree to literalize the idea of a man who dominates any room he enters. Meanwhile, the late, great Michael Clarke Duncan had little trouble physically embodying the character in the 2003 "Daredevil" movie, being a real-life Jack Reacher at six-foot-five and over 300 pounds.

Vincent D'Onofrio, on the other hand, had a trickier task, having to capture not just Fisk's daunting physical stature but also his vulnerable personality in Netflix's "Daredevil" series.

Alaqua Cox Led Echo’s Budget Revealed ( Photo Credit – IMDb )

Marvel seems to have ignited new hopes among the fans with its recent mini-series, Echo. The Ma-rated show led by Alaqua Cox received positive responses from the viewers and managed to do so with a budget much less than some of Marvel’s previous shows. It might give the studio some perspective on their upcoming projects. Scroll below for more.

The Disney+ series explored the origin of Maya Lopez, her relationship with Kingpin [played by Vincent D’Onfrio], and catch up to the events of Hawkeye and after that. It is perfectly done as people have been intrigued, and their anticipation for Daredevil: Born Again has also increased. Charlie Cox as Daredevil also had a cameo in the Marvel show. For the unversed, Matt Murdock and Maya develop a relationship in the comics, and we hope that will be explored further in the MCU.

Regarding the budget,...

The MCU has an abundance of projects lined up for the next few years. Given the interconnected nature of these projects, fans are increasingly perceiving it as a challenging endeavor akin to homework, involving the tracking of numerous movies and a couple of Disney+ series to fully grasp references, post-credit scenes, and the current movie’s plot. While this approach was effective when the MCU was centered around a few characters with only a couple of movies, the expansion with multiple superhero teams, new characters, and intricate plots has resulted in a continually expanding homework load.

To address this, the ‘Marvel Spotlight’ initiative was introduced. When a series is released under the “Spotlight” banner, it signifies a grounded, character-driven, and, most importantly, standalone approach. It may not be directly connected to the broader MCU, or at the very least, viewers do not need to watch other shows or movies to comprehend the narrative.

MCU has plenty of projects planned in the next few years and due to the interconnected nature of these projects, fans are starting to see it as sort of a homework where you need to follow dozens of movies and at least a couple of Disney+ series to really understand all the references, post-credit scenes and the plot of the movie that you’re currently watching.

While that worked when MCU was primarily about a few characters with a couple of movies under its belt, as the MCU expands with several superhero teams, new characters, and new plots, the homework keeps expanding as well. This is why the ‘Marvel Spotlight’ initiative was started. When the series is released under “Spotlight” banner it basically means that it’s grounded, character-driver and most of all standalone, not necessarily connected to the rest of the MCU, or at least, you don’t have...

The director of photography of Marvel Studios’ Echo commented on whether she thinks Season 2 is in the works for Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez.

When Echo was first announced, like most MCU Disney+ shows, it was only assumed to be a single season. Since its five episodes debuted at once on January 10, there has been no word on if a continuation is even in consideration.

Fans don’t even know when the next time they’ll see Maya on screen is.

Read full article on The Direct.

Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in Marvel Studios’ Echo, releasing on Hulu and Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel. As a young woman who is both deaf and an amputee, Alaqua Cox would seem to be an unlikely choice to star in a Marvel Cinematic Universe series. But she made a huge impression playing the role of Maya Lopez — a.k.a. Echo — on Hawkeye, and she was given a spinoff series, Echo. And her co-star on the show, Vincent D’Onofrio, said she’s one of the most incredible actors he’s ever worked with. (Click on the media bar below to hear Vincent D’Onofrio) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Vincent-_0_Donofrio_working-_With_co_starAlaqua-Cox_Scho_.mp3 Echo is currently streaming on Disney+.

The post ‘Echo’s’ Vincent D’Onofrio Is Amazed By Alaqua Cox appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

[This story contains spoilers for Echo.]

There are certain television shows that people within the entertainment industry all watch and admire, and one of those shows was Better Call Saul, the celebrated prequel-sequel to the almighty Breaking Bad. The number of influential filmmakers who watched Saul is at least a mile long (Steven Soderbergh, Guillermo del Toro, Darren Aronofsky to name a few), and the brass at Marvel Studios are all included in that group. So it was hardly a surprise when Marvel sought out Saul writer-producer Marion Dayre to lead the writers’ room of Echo, a mature miniseries that’s centered on Maya Lopez/Echo (Alaqua Cox), who was first introduced as Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) deaf enforcer on Hawkeye (2021).

Under the tutelage of Saul co-creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, Dayre became a two-time WGA Award-nominated TV writer. She first co-wrote season two’s “Klick,” which put Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) on...

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Quick Answer: All five episodes of Echo are available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu now.

Stream 'Echo' On Disney+

Born Maya Lopez, Echo is a deaf Native American assassin characterized as intelligent and incredibly skilled due to her photographic memory. After the death of her father by Ronin (aka Hawkeye), Echo seeks vengeance, becoming entangled with the Tracksuit Mafia (run by Kingpin) and ultimately becomes their commander in her quest for retribution.

The cinematographer of Echo shared how following the deaf lead character led to some unique problem-solving in the latest Disney+ series, including how to incorporate American Sign Language (Asl) into the visuals.

A lot is going for Alaqua Cox's Echo, but most important of all is its lead character. Not only is she an indigenous member of the Choctaw Nation, but Maya Lopez is also deaf and an amputee.

These are all unique traits that led to the Marvel Cinematic Universe telling a story unlike it had told before. While Echo got some screentime in Hawkeye, she wasn't given the same spotlight her new series offered.

Read full article on The Direct.

Take a look at Marvel Studios live-action crime-fighting, superhero TV series "Echo", directed by Sydney Freeland and Catriona McKenzie, showcasing Marvel Comics’ ‘Maya Lopez’, ‘Kingpin’ and ‘Daredevil’, now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu:

"..'Maya Lopez' (Alaqua Cox) is pursued by 'Wilson Fisk' (Vincent D'Onofrio), the head of a criminal empire. When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy..."

Cast also includes Chaske Spencer, Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Zahn McClarnon and Cody Lightning.

Click the images to enlarge...

Echo is a good show; it’s just not the one Marvel needs right now. The Disney+ series represented so much coming out the gate as a spinoff from Hawkeye, the first entry in Marvel’s new Spotlight imprint, as well as a springboard for everyone’s favorite hero from the Netflix regime, Daredevil, before Born Again. More importantly, its focus on a deaf and physically handicapped villain of Native American descent looked as though it would be a more grounded, criminal underworld affair, steering away from the MCU’s current storylines filled with complicated multiverse stories and the usual superhero fare. Then, the episode opens with an ancient, supernatural figure underground, surrounded by other supernatural figures. We love how Maya Lopez’s (Alaqua Cox) powers and their origin run parallel to her heritage (these underground beings), as it ties into the series’ overarching themes of family and Choctaw tradition.

Marvel Studios is starting out 2024 on a sturdy footing as it begins to refocus and rebuild its TV shows.

Coming off the strong opening of Echo, its crime series centered on Indigenous and deaf anti-heroine Maya Lopez, Marvel next turns its attention to Daredevil: Born Again, which restarts production Monday after a lengthy hiatus.

Philip Silvera, who acted as stunt and fight coordinator on the Netflix version of Daredevil that ran in the mid-2010s, has returned to the fold to act as stunt coordinator and second unit director for the new series.

His hiring is the latest example of the retooling Born Again underwent as it was changed from a legal procedural to something that aims to harken back to the gritty and violent tone of that first well-regarded series. It also reaffirms the show’s focus on more street-level heroics and less on heavy (and costly) visual effects.

[This story contains spoilers for Echo.]

No one has a story quite like Echo star Alaqua Cox.

Despite no prior acting experience, Cox, at the encouragement of friends, auditioned on a lark for a coded project that was looking for somebody exactly like her: “an Indigenous deaf woman in their 20s.” Cox then went through a three-month audition process for what would become the supporting role of Maya Lopez on Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye. The brass at Marvel were so impressed by Cox that development of her own spinoff series, Echo, was fast-tracked within a few months of her Hawkeye casting and the beginning of that series’ production.

Cox grew up on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Keshena, Wisconsin, and just three years after her Marvel casting became public, she’s already seeing the impact that Indigenous representation is having back home.

“I saw a post of an Indigenous girl that wore her hair with pieces of...

The director of photography for Echo shared details about how they made a historic scene for the Choctaw Nation and the MCU.

The Disney+ series follows Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez as she reconnects with her ancestors who are part of the Choctaw Nation, an indigenous group local to what is now Oklahoma. It's those relatives of hers, included in the show's stellar cast, that give the hero some unique superpowers—living up to her titular name.

Needless to say, the portrayal of the Indian nation has been important for many people worldwide.

Read full article on The Direct.

Alaqua Cox is dishing on her potential future in the MCU!

The 26-year-old actress made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the Hawkeye series in late 2021 as Maya Lopez/Echo, and landed her own spinoff, which just recently premiered on Disney+.

Alaqua recently opened up about where she could appear next and she even dished on who she would like to share some screen time with from the MCU.

Keep reading to find out more…

“I can see Maya appearing in more Daredevil stuff for sure,” she teased with CinemaBlend. “And, maybe the new Avengers is something I would like to think about. That would be awesome to see that happen. So, fingers crossed.”

Maya appearing the upcoming Daredevil series isn’t entirely far-fetched, as Daredevil‘s Charlie Cox made a brief cameo in Echo, and her co-star Vincent D’Onofrio will also be on the Daredevil revival.

As for which...

Spoiler Alert! This post contains details from the finale of Marvel Studios’ Echo.

“Generations are echoing, reaching out to us at a time when we need them most.”

Those are the words of wisdom imparted on Maya Lopez [Alaqua Cox] by her grandmother Chula [Tantoo Cardinal] as she grapples with how to relinquish herself from the pain of her past and embrace the parts of herself she was never able to after she and her father were exiled from their reservation.

It’s one of several scenes in the final two episodes of Marvel’s Echo that pack an emotional punch, cracking Maya open until she’s no longer the heartless assassin audiences first met in Hawkeye.

Cox had never acted before she was cast as Maya, so Echo represents more than just her first time as No. 1 on a call sheet. It was also the first time she’d...

[This story contains spoilers for Echo.]

Echo star Vincent D’Onofrio isn’t ready to say whether Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk has been healed by Maya Lopez.

At the end of Disney+ and Hulu’s five-episode miniseries, Echo, Maya (Alaqua Cox) utilizes the powers of her Choctaw ancestors to enter Fisk’s mind and potentially heal him of his childhood trauma involving his abusive father and the ball-peen hammer he used to stop him. Once Maya releases Fisk from her grip, he desperately wants to know what she’s done to him, but he’s whisked away before the police arrive on the scene.

At this moment, D’Onofrio can’t give the game away, especially with Daredevil: Born Again still en route.

“That’s a good question, but I can’t answer that question. That question is boxed up in a lot of other stuff, and I can’t open that box,” D’Onofrio tells The Hollywood Reporter.

Around halfway through the fifth episode of Marvel’s Echo, viewers are dropped into the experience of a Choctaw Nation powwow. It’s a first-of-its-kind moment for the MCU, featuring dancers in regalia singing to the drum-driven music. In a poorly lit nearby barn stands Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez, in a face-off alongside the women of her family against a notorious New York crime kingpin, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio).

Director Sydney Freeland pitched the moment to Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige by recalling how she grew up reading Marvel Comics and attending powwows.

“I’ve read comic books at powwows, for sure — I’ve probably fallen asleep reading comic books at powwows — but those two things never overlapped,” Freeland tells The Hollywood Reporter. “So to have those things come together, to have Kingpin at a powwow, it is a very surreal experience.”

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has wooed Oscar-winning...

Get ready for gripping action as Disney+ Hotstar brings Marvel Studios’ Original live-action series, ‘Echo’. The series traces Maya Lopez’s escape to her Choctaw Nation roots in Oklahoma after her dramatic introduction in Marvel Studios’ 2021 hit, Hawkeye. It also explores her family and legacy, creating a gritty, self-contained tale of power and revenge as she confronts the perilous world of Wilson Fisk’s criminal empire. Directed by Sydney Freeland and Catriona McKenzie, the series sees Alaqua Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio reprise their roles as Maya Lopez and Kingpin, respectively.

Alaqua Cox, who performed every single stunt in the series, earned high praise from stunt coordinator Mark Scizak.

“Alaqua was extremely dedicated in pre-production and came in every day to train and work with us on building the various fights,” he said.

“She’s so tough – I had to pump the brakes sometimes because she never held back. In designing the fights,...

Stars: Alaqua Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Graham Greene, Cody Lightning, Zahn McClarnon, Charlie Cox, Devery Jacobs | Created by Marion Dayre

Created by Marion Dayre and currently streaming on Disney+, Echo is the tenth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). It centres on Maya Lopez / Echo (Alaqua Cox), the deaf Native American assassin, who was created in 1999 and made her live-action MCU debut in the Hawkeye TV series in 2021.

The pilot episode quickly gets viewers up to speed on Maya’s background and her close connection to crimelord Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio). As the events of Hawkeye showed, Maya was once one of the Kingpin’s deadliest assassins, until she discovered that he was behind the death of her father, William Lopez (Zahn McClarnon), whereupon she shot the Kingpin in the face, leaving him for dead.

The show picks up five months later,...

One of the positives MCU has managed to carve out even amidst the dismal streak since the end of Infinity Saga, was their priority to share stories that represent people from marginalized communities. As a medium, comic-book literature has always prided itself on being the vessel that carries the experiences of different voices across the world, and through projects like Moon Knight and the Black Panther movies, MCU has managed to somewhat honor that pride. As the first MCU project of this year, Disney/Hulu’s combined venture, the miniseries Echo, centered on the amputee, specially-abled Native American heroine Maya Lopez, had the potential to add another feather to MCU’s proverbial cap and also had the necessary means at its disposal to make for a memorable entry. However, the answer to the question of whether the series was able to justify its potential is not that simple and straightforward.

Hulu has always been the streaming service for the people who want to get their money’s worth and this month with some brand new animes, some original shows and movies, and a Marvel series they will get it. So, start the first month of the new year with Hulu’s entertaining offerings and handpick what to watch this month CinemaBlind is always here to help you.

Ishura Season 1 (January 3)

Anime is one of the most popular and creative platforms for telling out-of-this-world stories and over the years, it is becoming more and more mainstream with some animes like Attack of Titan, Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and many more becoming even more popular than your average streaming shows. Hulu has always been ahead in the anime game in the US, if we compare it to other streaming services this month we will see the second part of The Devil is a Part Timer!

The following contains spoilers for the Marvel Studios series "Echo."

The latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is something kind of unique, following the villain-to-antihero origin story of Maya Lopez, A.K.A. Echo (Alaqua Cox). It's the first TV-ma-rated show released under the "Marvel Spotlight" banner and it gets a little more experimental in its storytelling, beginning each episode with a flashback to one of Maya's ancestors awakening some great power within themselves. Each of these ancestors then helps Maya by passing their powers on to her, allowing her to access their agility, accuracy with ranged weapons, and even magical healing abilities. She is an echo of them, carrying the powers and responsibility to protect her people, which helps her to heal from her turbulent, crime-ridden past.

But who are each of these ancestors? The episodes only show brief glimpses of their story, but there's some historical context...

Exclusive: After making all five episodes available on Tuesday, Marvel Studios’ Echo has premiered at No. 1 on both the Disney+ and Hulu platforms. The series marked several firsts for a Marvel show: the first TV-ma series developed at the studio, the first time every episode was available to subscribers at once and the first time a whole Marvel series has been available on both platforms at the same time.

It’s also the first show under the Marvel Spotlight banner, which the studio describes as a platform to bring more grounded, character-driven stories to the screen, focusing on street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity. While the studio hasn’t put out numbers, Echo is doing better than some of the consistently top-performing titles.

The series is getting recognition from both the Indigenous and deaf communities for its representation onscreen and off. Deadline’s Dominic Patten raved about the show, saying...

"Echo" looks as though it could mark the moment the Marvel Cinematic Universe might get back on track. This is the very first "Marvel Spotlight" series, indicating that "Echo" is its own show and doesn't require audiences to have seen a thousand other MCU projects to understand the narrative. It also means we'll be getting a lot more focus on character rather than events that occur simply to progress the overall MCU narrative. Pretty neat! Especially since we've had far too much MCU in recent years, and most of it has just been an excuse to set up whatever comes next in the saga.

Anyone who saw the "Echo" trailer will know this TV-ma series is a decidedly gritty affair, following in the footsteps of the original Marvel Netflix shows that were focused on "street-level" heroes rather than the grand spectacles of the MCU movies. In the trailer, Alaqua Cox's Maya Lopez/Echo,...

Editor’s note: The following article contains spoilers for Marvel’s “Echo” on Disney+.

Charlie Cox’s Daredevil appears in the very first episode of “Echo” on Disney+, and he’s instantly forgettable.

That’s not an indictment of the character Cox originated in “Marvel’s Daredevil” on Netflix, now resurrected for the MCU, but an endorsement of the scene around him; a one-shot combat sequence in which Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) eventually kills one of her opponents and marks Daredevil as an enemy.

The scene is striking enough on-screen, but also a key moment in how various teams intent on getting “Echo” right came together — the writing, the stunts, the direction, and an overarching sensitivity to a deaf character’s point of view.

“Echo” is the rare TV series with an Indigenous lead, the first who is also deaf, the first Marvel series to release a whole season at once,...

Get ready for gripping action as Disney+ Hotstar brings Marvel Studios’ Original live-action series, Echo. The series traces Maya Lopez’s escape to her Choctaw Nation roots in Oklahoma after her dramatic introduction in Marvel Studios’ 2021 hit, Hawkeye. It also explores her family and legacy, creating a gritty, self-contained tale of power and revenge as she confronts the perilous world of Wilson Fisk’s criminal empire. Directed by Sydney Freeland and Catriona McKenzie, the series will see Alaqua Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio reprise their roles as Maya Lopez and Kingpin, respectively. For the first time ever, all episodes of Marvel Studios’ Echo are currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in Hindi, English, Tamil and Telugu.

Kingpin actor Vincent D’Onofrio shares how Echo justifies Maya Lopez’s origin story. “I love that ‘Echo’ is Maya Lopez’s origin story.”

Adding further he said, “You get introduced to this Native American world and it’s intense,...

The following contains Mjaor spoilers from all five episodes of Echo. Proceed accordingly.

Marvel fans who’ve watched all five episodes of Echo — which are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu — understand that Maya Lopez’s (played by Alaqua Cox) powers are different.

More from TVLineFor All Mankind Bosses Talk Finale Time Jump, Who Will and Won't Be Back in Potential Season 5 - Plus, Grade It!Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Boss Breaks Down the Finale's Massive Twists - Plus, Is [Spoiler] a Goner?The Echo Finale's Mid-Credits Scene Explained: Will Wilson Fisk Become [Spoiler] in Daredevil: Born Again?

In the comics, Maya...

Spoiler Alert! This post contains details from the finale of Marvel Studios’ Echo.

Though only five episodes, Echo is a rich story that strips away the bombastic nature of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to bring audiences to Tamaha, Oklahoma.

It’s there that the series’ main character Maya Lopez [Alaqua Cox] confronts her past traumas to heal from the tragic loss of her mother and reconnect with her Indigenous community — as well as go up against the big bad Kingpin, who helped raise her after she and her father were exiled from town when she was only a child.

She views Vincent D’Onofrio’s supervillain as an uncle, of sorts, but after realizing he is responsible for her father’s death in Hawkeye, Maya begins to understand his ruthlessness and reconsider her position in his criminal network.

While she initially returns to Tamaha only to get back at Kingpin, she...

This post contains spoilers for the Marvel Studios series "Echo."

Marvel's "Echo" has an uphill battle to gain audience attention. Not only is the Disney+ series from Marvel Studios arriving at a time when superhero fatigue appears to be high, but it's giving us a limited series about a secondary villain from the "Hawkeye" series, and on the surface, not one that demands the same attention as a character like Loki. However, audiences would do well to take a chance on the series, because where "Echo" succeeds is in making the character of Maya Lopez far more rich than her comic book origins.

Aside from the prominence of her Choctaw heritage, which is an integral part of the five-episode series that just debuted on Disney+, the fact that Maya Lopez is a deaf amputee makes her an even more compelling character who stands out from the usual superhero fare, especially since she's a recovering villain.

Echo, an MCU spinoff, follows the story of a Native American superhero Maya Lopez, a differently abled woman with an extraordinary photographic reflex. In this cinematic representation of Maya Lopez, we are broadly introduced to her back story as well as her connection with the mythical stories of the Choctaw people. In this five-part series, we saw Maya Lopez having recurring visions of some of the most powerful Choctaw heroes and their supernatural powers surrounding her. She gained a vivid insight into those powers after her grandmother Chula told her the story of how she had given birth to her mother, who had been born with some supernatural healing powers. Chula is an important figure in this story, responsible for shaping Maya’s future. Even though the relationship between Maya and Chula was affected by some choices Chula had made in the past, they eventually reconciled. Let’s discuss Chula...

Let's get it out of the way: Echo has its problems. It's somehow both underdeveloped and overly fussed with, seemingly directionless yet in a rush to get somewhere, and its finale, in keeping with the recent slate of Disney+ offerings, is a mess. Story beats have been scrambled by edits, confusing the stakes.

These structural problems can generally be overlooked — people watch these shows to have fun, not to write essays about them — yet even the more passive TV watchers out there will grok that something is up with Echo before the end. In five episodes, it both elaborates and fumbles the story of Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), the former silent and deadly leader of the Tracksuit Mafia from Hawkeye. Still, it's impossible not to want more of it.

The MCU spinoff, Echo, a continuation of the previous Hawkeye series, introduced us to Maya Lopez and the story about her ancestors. Previously in Hawkeye, Maya Lopez, who was introduced briefly, tried to track down her father’s killer, Ronin, to bring him to justice, but after learning that her adoptive uncle, Kingpin, was the culprit behind her father’s death, Maya confronted him and put a bullet in his head. In this spinoff series, Maya severed all ties with Fisk and returned to her homeland of Oklahoma to destroy Kingpin’s business, but as she found Kingpin hadn’t died, Maya stepped in to put an end to him to free herself.

Spoilers Ahead

How Did Maya Lose Her Parents?

Maya lost her parents at a very tender age. When she was a little girl, she was close to her grandparents and her cousins, who used to be her playmates.

Alaqua Cox's Echo ended with an extremely interesting post-credits scene that sets up Kingpin’s future and, in turn, Phase 5’s biggest new Disney+ series.

While the newest MCU series follows Maya Lopez as she becomes attuned to herself and her ancestors, it also gives fans even more of a fan-favorite villain, Vincent D’Onofrio’s villain. Thankfully, the big bad is not dead yet, despite what the ending of Hawkeye had some believing.

Not only was that not the end of the road for Wilson Fisk, but it is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the character making his mark on the MCU.

Read full article on The Direct.