The upcoming “The Marvels” is the 33rd film in the MCU. There have also been numerous series on Disney+ for some time now. Some people are probably starting to wonder if there’s any point in looking at a new title if you’ve already missed several. Marvel also seems to have recognized the problem – or at least that is what the statements around the new Spotlight banner, which has now been presented to the public, suggest.
Spotlight: Standalone stories from the MCU
On your own website the company now presented the new Spotlight banner. Musically accompanied by a fanfare composed by Oscar winner Michael Giacchino (“Up”) The very simple intro will appear before individual Marvel titles in the future. The title refers to the Spotlight comics that ran at Marvel from 1971 and in which, for example, the character Ghost Rider first appeared.
The comic label made it clear to fans at the time that they would be offered completely independent stories that required no prior knowledge. This is exactly what the new spotlight intro for the MCU should signal, as Marvel streaming boss Brad Winderbaum explained at launch:
“Marvel Spotlight gives us a platform to bring more grounded, character-driven stories to screens. In the case of ‘Echo’ Let’s focus on the smaller, everyday challenges instead of the larger continuity of the MCU. Just like comic book fans didn’t have to read ‘Avengers’ or ‘Fantastic Four’ to enjoy a ‘Ghost Rider’ Spotlight comic, “Our viewers don’t need to have seen other Marvel series to understand what’s happening in Maya’s story.”
‘Echo’ will be the first spotlight series
From Winderbaum’s words you can already see the first series that will appear under the new Spotlight banner: “echo“. Anyone interested in the adventures of the deaf martial arts fighter Maya (Alaqua Cox) needs no prior knowledge – probably not even of the series “Hawkeye”, in which the character was introduced. Conversely, you shouldn’t expect any MCU developments from the series that are relevant to the bigger picture and the current Multiverse saga.
That’s a pretty big and drastic change for the MCU. The fact that everything is somehow connected, that you look everywhere for Easter eggs for future films and storylines, was ultimately an integral part of the MCU – but at the same time, if the use of clues was excessive, it also threatened to exclude people. who just wants to watch a good series.
For “Echo,” its position as the first Marvel spot series is already its third premiere. It will also be the first MCU series to release all episodes at once, so binge watchers can get started right away. It is also the first MCU series to receive a TV-MA adult rating. You can stream ‘Echo’ on Disney+ starting January 10, 2024. Here’s the trailer: