Posted in: Disney+, Marvel, Preview, streaming, Trailer, TV | Tagged: disney plus, Echo, hawkeye, Marvel Studios

Echo Director Sydney Freeland: Series Will Make Most of TV-MA Rating

Marvel Studios' Alaqua Cox & Vincent D’Onofrio-starring Echo director Sydney Freeland on the Disney+ series leaning hard on its TV-MA rating.

Set to launch in January 2024, Marvel Studios' Alaqua Cox & Vincent D'Onofrio-starring five-episode Echo turns the spotlight on Maya Lopez (Cox) as she is pursued by Wilson Fisk's (D'Onofrio) criminal empire -forcing her to confront her own family and legacy. As we've already seen from what's been released preview-wise and with the series being the first Marvel Studios' series to earn the TV-MA rating, Lopez's journey is going to be a brutally violent one. Speaking with EW, director Sydney Freeland offers some insights into just how much the "Hawkeye" spinoff series leans into that rating when it comes to the violence and the importance of remembering that Lopez is a villain. In addition, Freeland praises Cox for her ability to balance the action with the deeply emotional moments that the story offers.

"Because we're dealing with 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. 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,'" the director shared when addressing how the studio responded to Freeland not wanting to daily back the "villain" aspect. Apparently, that included the level of violence that Lopez could inflict, too. "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," Freeland added. "And the response was, 'Yeah, let's try it!'" And from what Freeland has to share about the series' star, Cox proved to be more than up for the challenge. "I'm so excited for people to see what she can do," Freeland shared. "Yes, we've got fight sequences, but one of the things I'm most proud of from this series is how emotional it is. Alaqua is just the beating heart of this show."

Joining Cox and D'Onofrio for the five-episode streaming series are Chaske Spencer (Wild Indian, The English), Graham Greene (1883, Goliath), 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). Now, here's a look at the teaser that was released this past weekend, followed by a look back at the series overview & official trailer – with Marvel Studios' Echo hitting Disney+ & Hulu screens on January 9th at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET:

Streaming exclusively on Disney, the origin story of Echo revisits Maya Lopez, whose ruthless behavior in New York City catches up with her in her hometown. She must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.

Episodes of the series are directed by Sydney Freeland (Navajo) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai). Executive producers include Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard, Louis D'Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, Richie Palmer, Jason Gavin (Blackfeet), Marion Dayre, and Sydney Freeland – with Jennifer L. Booth and Amy Rardin co-executive-producing.

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