The Marvel Cinematic Universe will continue to expand in Phase 4, bringing along a bunch of TV series for several characters along the way. Disney+ will serve as the home of of these shows, with titles such as Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, and She-Hulk laying the groundwork.
Not only that, but a wide array of rumors started to surface that the small screen universe of the MCU will also include spinoffs from the aforementioned series. One of them is for Hawkeye's Echo.
The character will be played by Alaqua Cox in the Jeremy Renner-led series, and her introduction will serve as the foundation of the rumored spinoff. The show revolving around Echo is in the early stages of development, and it will reportedly start filming in early 2022.
Meanwhile, another Marvel series in the form of Ironheart is also a topic of discussion among MCU fans, especially after it was teased that it will deal with the legacy of Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man. The hero will be played by Dominique Thorne, but aside from that, plot details are still being kept under wraps.
The development of the aforementioned shows is still shrouded in mystery, but it seems that the creator of Echo from the comics is excited about the spinoff's looming arrival.
MARVEL WRITER REACTS TO MCU SPINOFF RUMORS
Marvel Comics writer David Mackkabuki shared his reaction to the production rumor involving Echo and Ironheart. To recap, it was earlier rumored that Echo will begin filming in January 2022 while cameras will start rolling for Ironheart in April 2022.
Macckabuki, who created Echo in the comics, expressed his excitement about the fact that the Marvel hero will be played by an actor (Alaqua Cox) who is deaf and indigenous while also sharing that his students from the School for the Deaf in Africa, Asia, & Europe will love this news:
“Looks like a character I created at #MARVEL is getting her own tv show. #ECHO, who is deaf & indigenous is being played by an actor who is deaf & indigenous. I taught at the School for the Deaf in Africa, Asia, & Europe, in my work for the US State Dept, & the students love Echo & will be happy about this. .... also gives hope for the KABUKI tv series...”
The Marvel writer then discussed his partnership with Ironheart creator Brian Bendis, revealing that they are working on a new series entitled Cover for HBO Max:
"What do you think about this? #ECHO #AlaquaCox & #IronHeart w #DominiqueThorne created by @BRIANMBENDIS my creative partner on #COVER. We are in Zoom calls each week working on the new #COVER series from @HBOMax... Brian writes it. I'm directing it. From our creator-owned comic series. In TPB & Comixology now. Inspired by my travels overseas for the US State Dept & new comic series of it in the works too..."
MORE EVIDENCE THAT ECHO SPINOFF WILL ARRIVE?
Marvel Studios has yet to confirm the arrival of Echo in the franchise's massive slate of shows, but it looks like David Macckabuki's latest post could fuel speculation that the series is indeed coming on Disney+. The excitement from the Marvel writer is understandable since a hero like Echo will definitely give inspiration to the deaf and indigenous community around the world.
Creating a show around Echo presents numerous story possibilities not just for the character but for Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye as well. It appears that Hawkeye will give much focus on the legacy of bow-wielding hero considering that Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop will take center stage in the series.
Connecting the dots, it seems that the planned spinoff for Echo will revolve around the legacy of Clint Barton's Ronin persona, meaning that Renner can also appear in a limited capacity to pass the torch to Alaqua Cox's Marvel character.
Thor: Love and Thunder actress Tessa Thompson previously revealed that the MCU's Phase 4 is pushing for more on-screen representation, and green-lighting an Echo spinoff is a huge step on its own. A deaf hero leading her own series has the potential to leave an impact on the deaf community while also providing an avenue to explore heroism in a different light.
