The “Hawkeye” series on Disney Plus may already be starting a spinoff.
A show centered on Echo, a deaf Native American character who will be played by Alaqua Cox in the “Hawkeye” series, is in the early stages of development for Disney Plus, Variety learned exclusively from the sources. Etan Cohen and Emily Cohen are hired to write and executive produce the show, with a newly set up writers room. Marvel Studios will produce.
Marvel Studios representatives declined to comment. Cohens representatives did not immediately respond to Varietyrequest for comment from.
Echo, whose real name is Maya Lopez, has the ability to perfectly copy someone else’s movements or fighting style, making her a formidable opponent in battle. In the Marvel comics, Echo crosses paths with characters like Daredevil, Moon Knight and the Avengers. She was also the first person to hold Ronin’s title before passing it on to Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye, in the comics. At the beginning of “Avengers: Endgame,” Barton (Jeremy Renner) briefly used the name Ronin and walked away from the Avengers after losing his family at Thanos’ snap.
Variety reported exclusively in December that newcomer Cox and several other cast members were joining the “Hawkeye” series. The show will be Cox’s screen debut. Whether or not the show goes into the series remains to be seen, but it would come as no surprise if Marvel began building its expanding television universe further with characters from its current crop of shows on Disney Plus.
Renner will repeat his role as master archer in “Avengers” in “Hawkeye” alongside Hailee Steinfeld, who is playing Kate Bishop, Hawkeye’s protégé. The series begins after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” and is written and produced by Jonathan Igla. Rhys Thomas and Bert & Bertie act as directors.
Vera Farmiga, Florence Pugh, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton and Zahn McClarnon will also appear in “Hawkeye”. Farmiga plays Eleanor Bishop, Kate Bishop’s mother; Pugh repeats his role as “Black Widow” as the spy and murderer Yelena Belova; Fee plays Kazi, probably the comic book character Kazimierz Kazimierczak, also known as the villain Clown; Dalton plays Jack Duquesne, Hawkeye’s former mentor called Swordsman; and McClarnon plays William Lopez, Echo’s father.
So far, Marvel has been successful with its Disney Plus programs. The first series, “WandaVision”, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, was an immediate success, ending its season on March 5. “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”, with Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, followed on March 19, and Tom Hiddleston’s “Loki” is set for June 11. “Hawkeye” will be released in late 2021.
Other upcoming Marvel series on Disney Plus include “Ms. Marvel, ”“ She-Hulk ”,“ Moon Knight ”,“ What I?, ”“ Secret Invasion, ”“ Ironheart ”,“ Armor Wars ”,“ The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special ”and an untitled Wakanda series.
Joe Otterson contributed to this report.