What’s next for Marvel Studios? Who’s recently joined the cast of your most anticipated series or film? Where can you find the teasers and trailers? Look no further, true believers. Everything you need to know about the future of the MCU has been collected for you here. Click on each logo to learn what we currently know about the upcoming MCU projects.
An already massive shared universe became supermassive in early January when Marvel Studios retconned Marvel Television’s Netflix series into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following the release of Echo, three seasons each of Daredevil and Jessica Jones, two seasons each of Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Punisher and one season of the crossover event series The Defenders were added to Disney +’s MCU “Timeline Order” subsection, indicating that the events depicted within those series are now part of the Infinity Saga. For fans of those Netflix series, January 5th will be a day long remembered as great characters like David Tennant‘s Kilgrave, morons like Finn Jones‘ Danny Rand and the events that took place at Midland Circle now stand on the same footing with Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark, Tom Hiddleston‘s Loki and the Battle of Wakanda. However, for fans who are just now coming on board, the idea of catching up on even more content can be a bit daunting. Is it necessary to consume all 161 episodes of Marvel Television’s Netflix Defenders-verse series in order to keep up with the MCU’s current events?
In 2013, 5 years after the MCU kicked off with Iron Man, Disney and Netflix reached a deal that allowed the streaming service to develop four live-action series based around some of Marvel Comics’ “street-level” heroes: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. The original deal called for a 13-episode series to be developed for each character with their stories intersecting in a crossover events series, The Defenders. Ultimately, each of the series were granted at least a second season and, in 2016, following the character’s debut in Season 2 of Daredevil, a spinoff series centered on Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, went into development.
In late 2018, Netflix began cancelling the series individually and by February 2019, the Defenders-verse died a quiet death in the trades. In March 2022, the series were all removed from Netflix’s streaming platform and appeared on Disney Plus as The Defenders Saga and were not included in the MCU Timeline or the Infinity Saga.
After Avengers: Endgame put a bow on The Infinity Saga, Marvel Studios began a new chapter in its shard universe. Comprised, like its predecessor, of three phases of storytelling, The Multiverse Saga simultaneously continues the stories of characters from The Infinity Saga while also introducing brand new characters into the narrative tapestry. The new saga also came with a major change for Marvel Studios as they began to develop and produced both live-action and animated canonical streaming series for Disney Plus. Though there had been some talk of the Netflix series being revived on Disney Plus, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige indicated in 2021 that the studio was focused on their own series but also–as is the way of The One Above All–said he’d “never say never” and that the characters could now appear in MCU projects.
In November 2021, Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk made a surprise appearance in the streaming series Hawkeye, who he said he believed to be the “same character” from the Netflix series. One month later, Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home. In July 2022, it was revealed that the two stars were set to reunite in the Marvel Studios streaming series Daredevil: Born Again. In September, Feige made it clear that Born Again was not a continuation of the Netflix series, something that was reiterated by Cox a month later when he referred to the series as “a whole new deal.”
Despite the apparent clarity on the issue, for two plus years, Marvel Studios remained mum on whether or not the characters appearing in their projects were the same versions of the characters depicted in the Netflix series or Multiversal Variants. In October 2023, a foreward from Kevin Feige in Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline made a distinction between projects that he considered Multiversal canon and ones that were set on the the MCU’s Sacred Timeline, indicating that the book only contained projects that took place on the latter. None of the Netflix series were included in the book.
On the Multiverse note, we recognize that there are stories – movies and series – that are canonical to Marvel but were created by different storytellers during different periods of Marvel’s history. The timeline presented in this book is specific to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline through Phase 4.
On January 3rd, 2024, Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation at Marvel Studios, Brad Winderbaum, revealed that the Netflix series were now considered canon, just two days before they were moved to the MCU Timeline Order section of Disney Plus. “So, I can say that up until this point, we’ve been a little bit cagey about what’s Sacred Timeline and what’s not,” said Winderbaum. “That was born, frankly, out of a period at the studio where we were like ‘we have to stick the landing with Avengers.’ It was another part of the company developing the Netflix stuff; we were aware of what they were doing, they were aware of what we were doing, but it was a lot.. it was a lot to balance anyway,” he explained. “But now that some time has passed, now that we actually see how well-integrated the stories are, I personally, Brad Winderbaum, will confidently say that they are part of the Sacred Timeline.“
Ahead of the resumption of production on Daredevil: Born Again—which was paused due to the WGA and SAG strikes, allowing for a complete creative overhaul on the project—D’Onofrio revealed that the studio had made the decision to reverse course and directly connect its new project to the events of Netflix’s Daredevil and so, the retcon was on.
During our restart of all the creative on Daredevil: Born Again, all the creatives got together and said, “Look, this is how we’ve got to do it now.” So we are for sure only speaking about it in terms of being directly connected to the original Daredevil, and that’s a great thing. It brings in a lot of cool stories and all the collateral story that happened in those original three seasons. So we now get to start this Born Again situation with all of that history behind us and the outcome of all that history. So we’re all talking about Daredevil: Born Again in those terms now.
Vincent D’Onofrio speaking to Adam Barnhardt on Born Again
On January 13 2024, Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll were added to the cast of Daredevil: Born Again after having been reportedly left out originally. On January 23, 2024–one day after production on the series resumed–Wilson Bethel, who portrayed Benjamin “Dex” Pointdexter in Season 3 of Daredevil, joined the cast as well.
With the Defenders-verse series having been firmly established as pre-Multiverse Saga canon, fans have begun to question if they’ll need to take in all 39 episodes of Marvel Television’s Daredevil series in order to understand and enjoy Daredevil: Born Again and potential future streaming series and films. The answer is no.
As the MCU continues to grow, fans–especially those who are new to the shared universe–are feeling the burden of the ever increasing number of projects as”required viewing.” Indeed, a common refrain online, from fans and critics alike, is that the MCU has become too big and that an understanding of new projects is too dependent on having a deep understanding of those that came before. In adding the Netflix series to the Sacred Timeline, Marvel Studios just added 161 episodes of “homework” that would take 144 hours and 6 minutes to consume. Even if a fan wanted only to watch all 3 seasons of Daredevil to prepare for Daredevil: Born Again, it would take them over 34 hours to do so. Asking fans who haven’t already seen those to do so in order to understand and enjoy what’s going on in your new show is unreasonable and would only further the negativity already building towards the studio on message boards and on social media.
And if you think Marvel Studios isn’t aware of what’s out there and listening, you’ve got it wrong. Over the course of its 3 season run, Daredevil built an enormous online following. In October 2018 when it was announced that Netflix had canceled the series, the Save Daredevil movement began online. In 2021, when Cox and D’Onofrio returned to their respecitve roles, and again in 2022 when Daredevil: Born Again was announced, the group, now known as We Saved Daredevil, celebrated, assured that their passion and online presence helped force Marvel Studios decision. Simply put, if you think Marvel Studios was listening then, you have to think they’re listening now and they hear loud and clear that “required reading” is not something fans want to spend days, weeks and months catching up on to enjoy a show. And so…
With Echo, Marvel Studios debuted a new production banner: Marvel Spotlight. The purpose of the new banner was made very clear by Winderbaum and Marvel Studios: “viewers don’t have to watch any other Marvel series to understand the plot” of a Marvel Spotlight project.
Marvel Spotlight gives us a platform to bring more grounded, character-driven stories to the screen, and in the case of Echo, focusing on street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity. Just like comics fans didn’t need to read Avengers or Fantastic Four to enjoy a Ghost Rider Spotlight comic, our audience doesn’t need to have seen other Marvel series to understand what’s happening in Maya’s story.
Brad Winderbaum on Echo’s Marvel Spotlight branding
Prior to the revelation of when Marvel Studios chose to make the Netflix series canon, D’Onofrio stated his belief that Daredevil: Born Again, like Echo, would be produced under the Marvel Spotlight banner. While he was clear that the statement only reflected his opinion, given the growing public sentiment that the MCU’s supermassive runtime is making it hard for fans to feel connected, it would certainly work in Marvel Studios’ favor to roll Daredevil: Born Again out as a Marvel Spotlight project. That doesn’t mean that the events of it can’t dovetail into other projects (indeed, it’s very likely that its plot will tie directly to Spider-Man 4), only that everything fans NEED to know to understand and enjoy it will be explained within the series itself. While Marvel Studios clearly designed Marvel Spotlight on the fly and could have done a better job with the exposition necessary to understand Echo, they have plenty of time to get it right in Daredevil: Born Again, which isn’t expected to debut until 2025.
By making it a Marvel Spotlight project–and hopefully continuing to make sure fans know what that means–Marvel Studios subsequently makes the consumption of Marvel Television’s Netflix series, which all took place during The Infinity Saga, an option rather than a requirement. Fans who have watched them or chose to watch them ahead of Daredevil: Born Again will obviously find themselves with a deeper, more full understanding of character relationships and interactions and, as a result, may find themselves feeling fulfilled and content as completists. However, knowledge of 34 hours worth of story should not be used to gatekeep and prevent new fans from enjoying the next live-action story of one of Marvel Comics’ greatest characters.
For the first time ever, a Marvel Studios streaming project had all episodes debut at once when Echo premiered on Disney Plus and Hulu. That meant plenty of fans stayed up late binging all five episodes of the TV-MA project with many taking to social media indicating it caused them to reminisce about the days of binging Netflix’s Marvel series just less than a decade or so ago. While Echo included a couple of connections to Netflix’s Daredevil, it also hinted at a major plot point for Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: Born Again and one of the studio’s most anticipated films.
After the credits rolled on the fifth and final episode of the series, titled “Maya”, a post-credit stinger showed Vincent D’Onofrio‘s Wilson Fisk–greatly changed by his encounter with Maya–headed back to New York on his private plane. After instructing his assistant to assemble “all the remaining heads” (presumably of New York City’s crime organizations) to “stabilize the situation before it spirals out of control.” The Kingpin’s attention then shifts a television where some Spectrum News talking heads are discussing the lack of a clear frontrunner in the race for a new Mayor of NYC. As the news anchors explain New Yorkers are looking for a “fighter” who can understand the pain and frustration they’re experiencing rather than a traditional politician, one says that a “bare-knuckle brawler” willing to “take on the establishment” would “do well” in the race for Mayor. As Fisk–clearly captivated by the idea of running for Mayor–leans forward, the camera cuts to black. What does this mean for the next time we see D’Onofrio’s character in Daredevil: Born Again?
Though Born Again has undergone significant creative restructuring, the post-credit scene would seem to ensure that one major plot point will stay intact when filming resumes. Several months before filming originally began, a rumor circulated that the series would feature Fisk running for Mayor of New York City (and eventually winning the race), as seen in author Charles Soule‘s acclaimed run on Marvel Comics Daredevil. In that run, as Mayor of NYC, Fisk launched a massive anti-vigilante campaign aimed at taking out long-time nemeses such as Daredevil and Spider-Man without lifting a finger. Further rumors about Daredevil: Born Again have consistently indicated that Fisk will launch a similar campaign in the series which will have some major implications for the MCU.
Shortly after Spider-Man: No Way Home debuted in theaters, Marvel Studios head honcho, Kevin Feige, confirmed that development on a fourth film had begun. By early 2023, the story for the film had been cracked as star Tom Holland was rumored to have agreed to a new deal to return as Peter Parker. Though development of the film was slowed as a result of the WGA strike, rumors of the film’s plot began to circulate in late 2023. Prominent among them was that Spider-Man 4 would be a street-level Civil War that would feature Spidey, Daredevil and Ant-Man leading other heroes against Mayor Fisk. Given that D’Onofrio and Holland have consistently expressed their desires to see Spidey and Kingpin face off in the MCU, the post-credit stinger in Echo feels like the first step in that direction though it’s unlikely fans will see it play out before 2026.
Marvel Studios latest streaming series, Echo, was the subject of worrisome rumors both during and after its production. Rumors ranged from the show being cancelled to being totally reshot and just about anything youight imagine I’m between. Ultimately, it was cut down to five episodes and became the first MCU series to have all its episodes released all at once. Combined with the fact that advanced reviews for the series were embargoed until the same time the series released on Disney Plus and Hulu, all these factors had fans concerned that Echo was going to be a major critical disappointment. At this time, that hardly seems to be the case; in fact, the series has played relatively well with critics.
As reviews continue to roll in on Rotten Tomatoes, Echo is piling up for positive reactions than not, sitting at 71% positive.
Many critics are lauding the show’s use of its TV-MA rating and comparing it favorably to the streaming series created by Marvel TV for Netflix and in the mid-to-late 2010s. On that note, Echo’s 71% sits higher than both seasons of The Punisher (Seasons 1 and 2 ended up at 68% and 62%, respectively) and both seasons of the critically panned Iron Fist which was regarded as Netflix’s worst effort (Seasons 1 and 2 ended up at 20% and 55%, respectively).
Critics are also praising star Alaqua Cox‘s performance as Maya Lopez and the supporting cast of Devery Jacobs, Chaske Spencer and Tantoo Cardinal leading the way. The ability to tell a personal story set in a corner of the MCU far away from the main events of the Multiverse Saga also allowed viewers the opportunity to not have to have much in the way of prior knowledge (indeed EVERYTHING needed to understand the series was shown in the series). With Marvel Studios creating a new production banner–Marvel Spotlight–for Echo, it seems more of these smaller scale stories are on the way.
With their latest streaming series Echo, Marvel Studios will check off an impressive list of “firsts.” The first Marvel project led by a Native American actress; the first Marvel project led by a deaf actress; the first Marvel project to receive a TV-MA rating under the studio’s new Marvel Spotlight banner. Spinning out of the 2021 Disney Plus streaming series Hawkeye, the series follows star Alaqua Cox‘s Maya Lopez as she returns to her hometown of Tamaha, Oklahoma following her attempt to kill Wilson Fisk, New York City’s Kingpin of Crime. From here, the series examines the concepts of heritage, lineage, family and trauma and introduces the sprawling and magnificent mythology of the Choctaw Nation. Soused with intense action, the final product (at least for the 3 episodes screened by the press) presents as a moody, somber and often haphazard journey. As demiurgic as the creative team’s flashbacks through the history of the Choctaw people feel, the plot of the first three episodes often feels a bit too insipid and threadbare leaving the series uncomfortably straddling a divide between what is and what could be.
As the studio’s first TV-MA project, Echo steps out of the MCU as we know it and steps directly into the world of Daredevil, The Punisher and the rest of the Netflix Defenders-verse series that WERE Marvel TV in the mid-2010s. Clearly inspired by the type of action that became synonymous with those series (including an homage to the one-take fight scenes that fans will remember from Daredevil), Echo is the bloodiest, most brutal and most violent project rolled out by Marvel Studios. While the fight choreography doesn’t favorably compare with the best work done in the Netflix series, there’s plenty for fans to enjoy including a particularly savage scene in a bowling alley and some particularly inventive ways to incorporate Maya’s prosthetic leg into the fray, turning a potential weakness into a major advantage. Cox does quite a bit of her own work and her athleticism and intensity are on full display. The series makes it very clear that Maya is fueled by her raging responses to loss and Cox’s brooding kinesics emote every bit of that pain. As barbaric and sanguine as the action is, however, it ends up feeling like ass beatings simply for the sake of beating some asses. For some, violence for violence’s sake became an issue for the Netflix series and in just three less-than-hour-long episodes, Echo finds itself dangerously close to falling into the same trap.
While the show’s determination to remind everyone how “dark and gritty” the Netflix series were brings it dangerously close to being a perfect example of George Bernard Shaw‘s famous but almost always shortened quote (“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.”), it finds its counterbalance–and inarguably its greatest strength–when it dares to break brand-new ground in the genre. From its genesis, Echo was built around and by indigenous people at every level. Whether it was in the writers’ room, in collaboration with members of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, behind in the camera through director Sydney Freeland’s vision and, most apparent, though its almost entirely indigenous cast, Echo is unique among the ever-expanding number of projects in the MCU.
It’s through the Choctaw Nation that Echo chooses to explore the themes of heritage and lineage and it’s absolutely where it does its best work. Thanks to a strong supporting cast led by Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal and rock-solid Chaske Spencer, who plays Maya’s uncle, Henry Black Crow Lopez, Echo examines how trauma and the human response to it can shatter even the tightest-knit family. As it turns out, Tamaha, Oklahoma holds more than just ties to Maya’s blood relatives and if she’s ever going to bury her dark past, it’s going to happen in the town that shattered her life.
Most incredible, though, is Echo’s dedication not only to represent the modern-day culture of the Choctaw people but also their heritage and culture. Each episode includes an extended flashback–steeped in real-life mythology and history–stretching back to the creation of the first Choctaw and other heroes from the Nation’s past. As Maya struggles to escape the enormous shadow of Kingpin’s influence on her life, her place as a descendant of some of the most powerful women in Choctaw history begins to unfold giving Maya a chance to become something incredible all unto herself. However, through 3 episodes, it’s not clear just how that will unfold.
While the first three episodes certainly each have bright spots, they do–like the Netflix series before them–tend to drudge on at times. There are, unfortunately, signs that indicate that the widespread rumors and reports of a difficult post-production process for Echo may have had some merit. The first episode seems hastily edited to tell only a portion of what may have originally been planned and, plainly put, it’s jarring. Episodes 2 and 3 seem to have been handled with a far more delicate touch and it’s at the end of the third episode that things really seem ready to take off. While it’s Maya’s show, Disney hasn’t held back on promoting the show as being just as much about the return of Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk. If the last two episodes–which will clearly feature Fisk–can crescendo and find a way to allow Maya’s heroic heritage to overcome her villainous upbringing, Echo may ultimately overcome its own shortcomings and stand out as a project worth having saved.
Marvel Studios presents Echo, spotlighting Maya Lopez as she is pursued by Wilson Fisk’s criminal empire. When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy. Echo stars Alaqua Cox (Hawkeye) as Maya Lopez, as well as Chaske Spencer (Wild Indian, The English), Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon, Stumptown), Devery Jacobs (FX’s Reservation Dogs, American Gods), Zahn McClarnon (Dark Winds, FX’s Reservation Dogs) and Cody Lightning (Hey, Viktor!, Four Sheets to the Wind), with Graham Greene (1883, Goliath) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Hawkeye, Daredevil, Law & Order: Criminal Intent), who returns to the villainous role of Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin.
Episodes of the series are directed by Sydney Freeland (Navajo) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai). Executive producers are Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, Richie Palmer, Jason Gavin (Blackfeet), Marion Dayre and Sydney Freeland. Co-executive producers are Jennifer L. Booth and Amy Rardin. Marvel Studios’ Echo is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
Marvel’s upcoming streaming series, Echo, represents a new type of project for the studio. Not only is it the first TV-MA project, but it’s also the first to roll out under the new Marvel Spotlight banner. According to the studios, Marvel Spotlight projects will bring “more grounded, character-driven stories to the screen” that “focus on street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity.” Essentially, while the projects may involve familiar MCU characters (indeed Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk has a prominent role in Echo and Charlie Cox’s Daredevil does appear), the stories told within them are self-contained. “Viewers don’t have to watch any other Marvel series to understand the plot,” which means everything needed to completely enjoy Echo will be seen in Echo. And according to director Sydney Freeland, that means a heavy dose of lead character Maya Lopez’s past.
During a global press event before the premiere of Echo, Freeland talked about the unique opportunity to further explore Lopez, who debuted in the 2021 streaming series Hawkeye. “One of the most interesting aspects about the character,” began Freeland, “is the fact that she’s a villain in Hawkeye, right? But then within that, once you start, sort of, pulling in that thread, then you look at where she comes from, right? And you look at, “Oh, this is a deaf, indigenous amputee girl from Oklahoma,” said the director. “‘How the hell does she end up being one of the top-ranking lieutenants in Kingpin’s army?’ And answering those questions was such an exciting place to be.”
For Maya, following the events of the Hawkeye season finale, that means finding her way back to Oklahoma to a family she hasn’t seen in years. And as is traditional wisdom, once you leave, you can’t go home again. “Well, what is that like when she goes back home? You know?,” asked Freeland. “And I think for, you know, just for myself and you know, being indigenous, being an American, it was such a fun and exciting place to be. And then once you layer on the Choctaw cultural specifics onto that, it gave us a chance to tell a really fun story, you know? I think one example of that is actually in the second episode of our series.“
As the show’s promotional footage has revealed, Maya’s troubles with Kingin will follow her home. Freeland seems to indicate that the series will explore the path Maya took from Oklahoma to NYC. It’ll be interesting to see what connections to the Kingpin took her away from home and what the consequences will be when she returns.
All 5 episodes of Echo will stream on Hulu and Disney Plus beginning at 9 PM EST on January 9th.
After meeting what appeared to be a grisly end in the season finale of Marvel Studios’ 2021 Disney Plus streaming series, Hawkeye, Wilson Fisk is back in the studio’s newest series, Echo. Vincent D’Onofrio, who first portrayed the Kingpin of crime in 2015 in the Netflix streaming series Daredevil, returns once again as Fisk and, as has been teased in the trailers for Echo, will have some serious catching up to do with Alaqua Cox‘s Maya Lopez.
Debuting simultaneously on Hulu and D+, Echo is the first TV-MA production by Marvel Studios, allowing it to include a level of violence that fans of the Netflix Defenders-verse series are sure to enjoy. Though Fisk’s brutality was on full display in Daredevil, there’s much more to the character. During a global press event for Echo, D’Onofrio was asked what makes Kingpin, who first appeared in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #50 in 1967, so compelling.
I think that, you know, originally in the comic books, he was also compelling, I think. And I’ve just been lucky to get the opportunity, beginning with the Netflix show, with really good writing to bring him forward in I guess a kind of new way, but just my version of what they did in the original comics. And then, now in Echo, you know, it’s just more good writing and, you know, without the writing, you know, I can’t really do much other than, you know, show up. And so, the writing is there, and it gives me the opportunity to bring the character forward.
Vincent D’Onofrio
Netflix’s Daredevil series was created by Drew Goddard and saw showrunners Steven S. DeKnight (Season 1), Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez (Season 2) and Erik Oleson (Season 3) work to create a complex and nuanced character that, thanks to the performance of D’Onofrio, became a fan favorite despite being a villain. On Echo, head writers Marion Dayre and Amy Rardin led a writers’ room, according to D’Onofrio, captured the parts of the character from Netflix series. “I think, with Echo, is the first time since the Netflix show when I’ve actually felt like we brought Fisk into Maya’s story, but in a way that Fisk is, I think, best portrayed,” explained D’Onofrio. “It’s very similar to the way it was in the original series,” he continued, “and that’s very exciting for me always, ’cause it has a more grittier feel to it and it’s a more emotional story with me and Alaqua’s character, Maya. And I think that kind of tone is the proper way for where my character, I believe, lives best.“
With D’Onofrio affirming that viewers can expect the same tone to carry over into Marvel Studios’ 18-episode streaming series, Daredevil: Born Again, fans of the Netflix series should look forward to having their appetites for the grittiness of that universe sated. All episodes of Echo will stream on Hulu and Disney Plus beginning January 9th.
Marvel Studios presents Echo, spotlighting Maya Lopez as she is pursued by Wilson Fisk’s criminal empire. When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy. Echo stars Alaqua Cox (Hawkeye) as Maya Lopez, as well as Chaske Spencer (Wild Indian, The English), Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon, Stumptown), Devery Jacobs (FX’s Reservation Dogs, American Gods), Zahn McClarnon (Dark Winds, FX’s Reservation Dogs) and Cody Lightning (Hey, Viktor!, Four Sheets to the Wind), with Graham Greene (1883, Goliath) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Hawkeye, Daredevil, Law & Order: Criminal Intent), who returns to the villainous role of Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin.
Episodes of the series are directed by Sydney Freeland (Navajo) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai). Executive producers are Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, Richie Palmer, Jason Gavin (Blackfeet), Marion Dayre and Sydney Freeland. Co-executive producers are Jennifer L. Booth and Amy Rardin. Marvel Studios’ Echo launches on Disney+ and Hulu Jan. 9, 2024.
As Bruce Springsteen once reminded us: only the strong survive. Vincent D’Onofrio‘s Wilson Fisk is a survivor. New York City’s Kingpin of Crime survived a point-blank shot to the head in the season finale of Hawkeye and it back on his feet in Marvel Studios’ latest streaming series, Echo, where he will find himself face-to-face with the one who pulled the trigger: his adopted “niece”, Maya Lopez.
From the sounds of it, Fisk’s return in Echo is just the first step along a path that will see the Kingpin become the “big bad” of Marvel Studios’ street-level stories. Next up for Fisk will be the streaming series Daredevil: Born Again, where it’s been rumored the Fat Man will run for Mayor of New York City. Further speculation posits that his arc in that series will dovetail into Spider-Man 4, which has reportedly been developed as a “street-level Civil War.”
While there have been no official announcements, it seems the next Spidey film won’t hit theaters until 2026 at best. That means we’re a long way off from casting and set photos; however, D’Onofrio hasn’t been shy about expressing his desire to appear in the film and taking on the Web-Slinger. It’s likely that Spidey wouldn’t be alone in trying to take down the Kingpin (recent rumors support the common sense idea that Daredevil would be among the street-level heroes teaming up with Spider-Man) should they square off and, according to D’Onofrio, the Wall-Crawler would need all the help he can get.
In an interview with Jake’s Takes, D’Onofrio was asked who could take down the Kingpin for good, since a bullet to the head couldn’t do the job, and while he doesn’t see that as a possibility, he did reveal who might stand a chance.
This is a very difficult question, because I don’t see that happening. I don’t see Kingpin dying. Kingpin never died in the canon of the comic books, so that’s very difficult. I’ll talk in terms of who could come close to it. I think that it would have to be either Daredevil or Spider-Man…together, the two of them together, maybe. But I don’t see Kingpin going away. He never did when I was a kid, so I don’t expect he will now.
While D’Onofrio can’t come out and say it, it sure seems as though Fisk is destined to find himself facing off against Daredevil and Spider-Man in the next Spidey solo film. Spidey star Tom Holland has also expressed a desire to see his character take on Kingpin and you have to think that at least part of Marvel Studios’ plan in bringing D’Onofrio and Charlie Cox back was to eventually put them together on the big screen.
Fisk can be seen in Echo, which debuts on Hulu and Disney Plus on January 9th.
Vincent D’Onofrio’s return to the role of Wilson Fisk in the 2021 Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Hawkeye helped carve out a whole new corner of the MCU. As Kevin Feige confirmed at SDCC ’22, Marvel Studios was taking their storytelling to the streets where heroes such as Spider-Man and Daredevil would lead the way. Spinning out of Hawkeye is the studio’s next streaming series, Echo, which sees Fisk return from what should have been a kill shot at the end of Maya Lopez’s barrel.
Despite some creative retooling, it’s expected that Echo will dovetail into another streaming series, Daredevil: Born Again, which will reunite Fisk with Charlie Cox’s Man Without Fear. Beyond that series, rumors point to the storyline continuing to be threaded into the fourth Marvel Studios/Sony Spider-Man collaboration, which was recently described as a street-level Civil War. Early rumors suggested that Daredevil: Born Again would adapt Marvel Comics’ “Mayor Fisk” storyline. Photos from the set of the series seemed to support those rumors as they showed a very distinguished-looking Wilson Fisk on the streets of New York. All signs point to very big things ahead for the Kingpin of Crime.
In an interview with Screen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeier, Marvel Studios’ Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, responded to the notion that Fisk was being positioned to be the “Thanos of the street-level corner of the MCU.” “Oh man, you kind of hit the nail on the head,” said Winderbaum. “I can’t say too much, only that as a chapter in Wilson Fisk’s life, this is a crucial one and sets the stage in some remarkable ways for what’s coming next.“
While there’s been no official announcement by Sony about when a fourth installment in the Spider-Man franchise may appear, it’s been made clear by Feige that the project has been in development for some time and that writers have long understood the assignment for the film. For his part, D’Onofrio has made it well-known on multiple occasions that he’d like to see Fisk, who first appeared in the pages of Spider-Man comics, square off against the Wall-Crawler in Spider-Man 4. Though he stops short of saying it, Winderbaum certainly does nothing to turn down the heat on the rumors and, if anything, his comments are sure to fan the flames of an already hot fire.
Marvel Studios upcoming streaming series, Echo, will the be first project under the studio’s new Marvel Spotlight banner. That means, according to newly minted Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation at Marvel Studios, Brad Winderbaum, anyone who tunes in “doesn’t need to have seen other Marvel series to understand what’s happening in Maya’s story.” That’s not to say that watching other series or films won’t add some additional context to the series, only that while watching Echo, the audience “can focus on street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity.“
Just what does or does not make up MCU continuity had been an ongoing debate for quite some time; however, in the forward to Marvel Studios: The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline book, the studio’s One Above All, Kevin Feige, indicated that with the Multiverse now in play, pretty much everything is canon. “On the Multiverse note, we recognize that there are stories – movies and series – that are canonical to Marvel but were created by different storytellers during different periods of Marvel’s history,” wrote Feige, before adding that the “timeline presented in this book is specific to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline through Phase 4.” That book does not contain references to some of Marvel’s best-loved TV series including Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist or Daredevil. And so while those stories are canon, the events depicted within did not take place on the MCU’s Sacred Timeline, aka the one in which all of the studio’s films and Disney Plus series have been set…but maybe that’s not the case after all.
In an interview with Screen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeier, Winderbaum seemingly contradicted Feige’s statement. When asked if the events of the Netflix series were part of the Sacred Timeline, Winderbaum went the long way around to say yes…at least in his mind.
So, I can say that up until this point, we’ve been a little bit cagey about what’s Sacred Timeline and what’s not. That was born, frankly, out of a period at the studio where we were like “we have to stick the landing with Avengers.” It was another part of the company developing the Netflix stuff; we were aware of what they were doing, they were aware of what we were doing, but it was a lot.. it was a lot to balance anyway. But now that some time has passed, now that we actually see how well-integrated the stories are, I personally, Brad Winderbaum, will confidently say that they are part of the Sacred Timeline.
Brad Winderbaum giving Brad Winderbaum’s view on if Netflix series are part of the Sacred Timeline
Winderbaum’s admission to the studio’s caginess around the inclusion of specific projects on the Sacred Timeline touches on a topic much discussed and debated online. Many fans believe in its Marvel Studios’ best interests to avoid answering the question of canonicity in order to continue generating online discussion. However, given his very important new position at the studio, Winderbaum seems uniquely positioned to have THE answer to the question. It’s likely that something in the upcoming series, Echo, will connect so directly to the Netflix series that there will be no room left for questions.
All 5 episodes of Echo will synchronously debut on Hulu and D+ at 9 PM EST on January 9th.
