MOVIE NEWS – A Marvel Studios film and a Disney Plus series are missing from Disney’s near-term release schedule. Even though release dates have been previously …

Deadpool 3 and the upcoming Hawkeye spin-off Echo are missing from Marvel and Disney’s near-term release schedules. Moreover, their premiere was previously announced for the period under review!

Ever since it was first announced that Disney was already working on a Hawkeye spin-off based on the character Echo, the project has been one of the most anticipated upcoming Disney Plus series. Fans were eager to learn more about the deaf native’s backstory and the consequences of his actions on Hawkeye.

On the movie side, Deadpool 3 has been Marvel Studios’ most anticipated project since it was announced that Hugh Jackman would be returning as Wolverine.

Filming on Deadpool 3 began before the strikes halted production. Marvel Studios previously confirmed the release date for Echo Disney Plus. However, both projects were conspicuously absent from the schedule of upcoming theatrical releases, as well as forthcoming Disney Plus and Hulu releases. These were unveiled during Disney’s recent investor call. This was even though the theatrical release schedule chart revealed days earlier showed an untitled Deadpool project scheduled for May 2024. As well as Echo, which was previously expected to debut in November.

A strike called by the WGA and the SAG-AFTRA has made delays unavoidable for several projects. With few exceptions, both writers on projects in the pipeline and actors on projects already in production cannot continue working on productions. This is not exactly the first time this has happened, as the earlier release date of Echo in 2023 was also due to delays. There is a possibility that the Echo series will not be considered a high enough priority to be considered a “key” release on the Disney Plus streaming service. However, this short-sighted view would be as much of a problem as any delays or production issues.

What Echo’s allegedly troubled production says about Marvel Studios’ creative process, aside from the company’s recent reported shift in ideology to prioritize quality over quantity, could mean that the extra time is a necessary step to ensure that projects that didn’t make the cut in the MCU’s grand scheme of things meet the new standard set by executives.

Deadpool 3 is an essential bridge between older Fox projects and the MCU. It can make or break the outlook for characters and story threads. Meanwhile, Echo is an exciting story with a diverse protagonist. It can help to create more of them in the MCU. No project can afford to fall victim to the audience fatigue that plagues the franchise.

Source: The Walt Disney Company