In ‘Echo’ Marvel Has Both a Streaming Hit and a Path Forward
With this month’s debut of Echo on Disney+, Marvel Studios not only returned the focus of its streaming shows to “street-level” characters but also ushered in a new era of television for the studio.
The new series was not only a hit with fans and critics alike, but it did so with a fraction of the budget of previous streaming series like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Secret Invasion.
According to Forbes, Marvel created Echo with a budget of just $40 million. For context, the budget for Secret Invasion was $211.6 million, while She-Hulk came in at $225 million.
In Echo, then, Marvel has a streaming series more successful than its previous two endeavors at just a fraction of the cost.
‘Echo’ Gives Marvel a Blueprint
With Marvel publically stating that it would overhaul how it makes television following the poor reception of Secret Invasion, Echo seems to be the blueprint for the studio going forward.
By focusing on “street level” heroes, Marvel will not only be able to tell more grounded stories that are easily accessible to fans who have not kept up with the broader MCU, but it will reign in the outlandish budgets that have plagued the studio.
Ultimately, Marvel’s path forward seems to be in its streaming roots. Long before the MCU expanded on Disney+, Marvel found success with the Defenders Saga series on Netflix.
With the production of Daredevil: Born Again now focused on tying the series into Netflix’s original Daredevil, Marvel’s streaming future suddenly seems brighter.
Maya Lopez Will Return
As for Echo star Alaqua Cox, her Marvel journey may not be over yet. Despite Echo being pitched as a miniseries, the show’s success has caused Marvel to change their plans.
“Marvel is interested in doing more with the character and is already developing new ideas as it seeks to build out its street-level heroes,” THR reports.
According to insiders, Marvel plans to expand its “street level” stories. Outside of Echo and Daredevil, Marvel could theoretically rework Hawkeye, Moon Knight, or Ms. Marvel to fit into the new paradigm.
Perhaps even Spider-Man can be roped into the new street-level stories.
After years of looking to the stars for their future, it turns out that Marvel had exactly what it needed in the streets of New York.
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!