‘Echo’ Director Sydney Freeland Says the Series Will Lean Into It’s TV-MA Rating
When Marvel Studio’s Echo hits Disney+ on January 9, the series will not only break ground as the first release under the new Marvel Spotlight banner but also as one of the few Marvel productions to receive a TV-MA rating.
When Marvel Spotlight was announced, the studio explained that the new banner would focus on “street-level” heroes, whose shows would have a grittier tone.
Marvel Spotlight. Photo: The Direct
Perhaps taking inspiration from the cult-favorite Netflix Marvel series, the upcoming Marvel Spotlight series also looks like it will be more violent than its MCU peers.
‘Echo’ Will Lean Into Its Rating
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Echo director and executive producer Sydney Freeland promised that the new series will not shy away from utilizing its TV-MA rating.
Photo: Marvel
Echo, Freeland explained, is “a story that is more street-level. It is a little more grounded and a little more visceral. We’re leaning into the TV-MA aspect of it.”
According to the director, the decision to develop Echo with a TV-MA rating was a natural extension of how the titular character was portrayed in Hawkeye.
Echo. Photo: Marvel
“One of the big things when I first came on was talking to Marvel and saying, ‘Well, she’s a villain in Hawkeye. And to me that’s the most interesting thing about her.’ And their response was, ‘Let’s lean into that, let’s explore that,’” she recalled.
“She’s a Criminal and She’s a Villain”
As production on Echo continued, Freeland and her team got more comfortable with the show’s darker nature.
‘Echo’ debuts January 9. Photo: Marvel
“As we progressed through the production, I had the chance to say, ‘Okay so what if this guy gets his head smashed onto the table, and actually loses a couple of teeth?’ That’s the character and that’s the world. She’s a criminal and she’s a villain, she’s killing people,” she added. “And the response was, ‘Yeah, let’s try it!’”
A Unique Marvel Streaming Series
Unlike previous MCU streaming series, all five episodes of Echo will be released at the same time. The series will also be available on Disney+ and Hulu on January 9.
The cast of Echo. Photo: Also Marvel
With the MCU at something of a crossroads, all eyes will be on Echo and Marvel Spotlight to see how the series’ darker tone is received.
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon! Also, thanks for reading!
