There are many characters Marvel Studios could build a Disney+ TV series around, but the decision to move forward with Echo has seen fans question why Maya Lopez was made a priority.
Alaqua Cox was undeniably fantastic in Hawkeye and we had fun spending time with the character; however, there was nothing in that series which suggested Echo needed to take centre stage in a solo adventure. Yes, it will reportedly set the stage for Daredevil: Born Again, but an entire series about Maya seems like a somewhat extravagant way to flesh out The Kingpin's past!
Excitement for the series appears muted, possibly explaining Marvel Studios' plan to release every episode simultaneously. While obviously not confirmed, the prevailing opinion is that this approach suggests there are concerns about maintaining interest in Echo on a weekly basis.
While it's previously been reported that the show will consist of six episodes, a reliable scooper now claims it's been cut down to five. Why? Well, it appears those claims about issues with the series were correct and an entire episode has been scrapped due to "pacing issues."
The origin story of Echo revisits Maya Lopez (Cox), whose ruthless behaviour in New York City catches up with her in her hometown. She must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.
We recently learned that, instead of debuting on November 29, the show will instead launch on Disney+ early next year.
In other small screen MCU news, it's said Ms. Marvel season 2 is already in the works. This isn't overly surprising, particularly as The Marvels feels like it could be used as a stepping stone to bigger things for Kamala Khan in this shared world (we need to learn more about her being a mutant, for starters).
We'll see what happens, but it's going to be interesting to see what sort of role Marvel Studios plays on Disney+ moving forward, especially in the midst of spending cutbacks and complaints of superhero fatigue.