Marvel's upcoming Hawkeye Disney+ series will lead directly into the recently announced Echo series starring Alaqua Cox.
During a press conference attended by CBR, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Hawkeye director Rhys Thomas were asked about Cox's Maya Lopez/Echo and what can be expected for her in the forthcoming Disney+ series. According to Feige, Cox "came in as a cold audition and sort of read a number of different times."
"She's amazing," Feige continued. "I can't wait for people who've seen the first two episodes have seen a very brief moment. It will be fun to see the audience discover Maya over the course of this series and then in her own series later. As announced on Disney+ Day last week, the Echo series will be -- we see Maya Lopez go from the end of this series into that series will be the next direct link."
Maya Lopez/Echo, a deaf Native American superhero, will be introduced in Hawkeye, which wrapped filming in April and will premiere on the streaming service in November, though the nature of her role in the show currently remains unknown. It was reported in March that the Echo spinoff series was in development, with Etan and Emily Cohen writing and producing the series. While it had been reported on for some time, Echo was officially confirmed by Marvel Studios and Disney during Disney+ Day with the release of the series' official logo.
Thomas, replying to Feige, said that Cox "has amazing determination." Regarding her audition process, Thomas went on to say, "She never performed before, but seemed completely unfazed when we came back. We really sort of put her through the wringer. But she never once botched and has kind of walked into this universe like she should've always been there."
In a recent promo for the upcoming Hawkeye series, audiences were introduced to the MCU's latest villain, Fra Fee's The Clown. Cox's Maya Lopez/Echo was seen alongside him, with both characters seemingly holding Clint Barton hostage before he is rescued by Haylee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop. While Maya is typically a hero in the comics, it was unclear in the trailer why she would be working with The Clown, though it could have something to do with her adopted father, Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, in the comics.
Created by David Mack and Joe Quesada, Maya Lopez/Echo first appeared in Daredevil #9 in 1999 and is one of the few Native American and deaf characters in comics overall. Similar to the Avengers villain Taskmaster, Echo's powers include photographic reflexes, giving her the ability to perfectly mimic the movements of other people. Echo was first introduced to comics as a supporting character for Daredevil and it's speculated that her involvement in Hawkeye could be a way for Matthew Murdock/Daredevil to officially enter the MCU. It has also been reported that both Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld will reprise their Hawkeye roles in Echo as well.
Hawkeye premieres Nov. 24 on Disney+.