Release dates have been set for the MCU’s Loki season 2 and Echo, marking some major changes to Marvel Studios’ usual Disney+ release patterns.
With two upcoming Disney+ series’ for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios has made some significant changes to their usual release pattern. After a series of production delays, several of Marvel Studios’ upcoming projects were pushed back, with a number of Disney+ releases thrown into uncertainty. However, Marvel Studios announced new release dates for Loki season 2 and Echo on May 16, 2023, with Loki season 2 now set to release an episode weekly starting from October 6, 2023, and Echo will release in its entirety on November 29, 2023.
While the MCU’s Infinity Saga had been told solely through feature films, the onset of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga coincided with the inception of Disney+, Disney’s own streaming service, which allowed Marvel Studios to develop long-form TV shows set within the MCU. Marvel Television had previously dealt with expanding the MCU on TV, but Marvel Studios’ plan meant that the TV shows would interconnect with the theatrical releases more clearly – which was proven immediately with the release of WandaVision in January 2021. Typically, episodes of these shows released weekly, but this is set to change drastically with Phase 5’s upcoming Disney+ releases.
Some MCU Shows Work Better Without Week-Long Breaks
This change in release method for Marvel Studios’ TV shows perhaps suggests that the company are now rethinking the way they tell their long-form stories on Disney+. Some series’ naturally work better by releasing an episode-per-week over the course of several weeks, while some might benefit from being binge-watched by MCU audiences. WandaVision, for instance, took inspiration from classic sitcoms, which meant that releasing an episode weekly worked perfectly for the storytelling capabilities of the series, and Loki also reaped the rewards of this, as the series was packed full of twists, turns, and cliffhangers that sparked huge fan discussions.
On the other hand, several of Marvel Studios’ Disney+ shows are written as if they were a full-length movie split up into sections – a conscious choice by Marvel Studios to make their TV shows feel more like blockbuster spectacles. In contrast to how it worked for WandaVision and Loki, the episode-per-week structure wasn’t such a perfect for certain projects, as the fast pace for shows such as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Moon Knight made the arbitrary and mandatory breaks between episodes feel disjointed. Releasing these entire seasons at once would have allowed audiences to watch at their own pace, perhaps without the week-long break between episodes, making for a clearer narrative.
Echo Releasing Every Episode At Once Makes Cameos Less Of A Problem
Playing off this idea, Marvel Studios’ Echo, a spinoff from Phase 4’s Hawkeye featuring Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, is set to release its full season on November 29, 2023. While this might be a narrative choice by Marvel Studios to allow for smoother viewing without any week-long breaks, this method will also help to avoid one major problem that has plagued a few previous MCU TV shows. Setting the Disney+ series’ within the world of the MCU creates the opportunity for established MCU characters to cameo during the shows, but often, the prospect of these cameos overshadows the actual storyline of the series, but Echo will negate this issue.
This was a prominent problem for Phase 4’s final MCU Disney+ show, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, as it was revealed before the series aired that Charlie Cox would be reprising his Daredevil role, so viewers were constantly waiting for his appearance. For Echo, both Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio – who portrays Kingpin – have been confirmed to appear, but releasing the whole season on the same day means that viewers won’t have to spend weeks waiting for them to show up. Consequently, audiences can enjoy the series to its full potential, without getting frustrated when highly-anticipated characters don’t cameo each week.
Echo’s Full-Series Release Is Better For Consumers
Some audience members want to enjoy new and upcoming projects in the MCU without having to pay the cost for a full-time subscription to Disney+. Releasing all of Echo season 1 on the same day means that these audience members can sign up for the service’s free trial and binge the series, without having to wait until the series has ended, or having to subscribe for several months. Although there might be plenty more content on Disney+ for consumers to enjoy, the cost of a year-long subscription may be unaffordable for many, so this new release method will allow new audiences to access Echo with greater ease.
Prior to the development of Marvel Studios’ TV shows, Marvel Television helmed MCU-adjacent TV shows, with those on Netflix releasing whole seasons at once. This meant that audiences could binge-watch Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher at their own pace, whether that be in one sitting or over the course of several days. These series’ became some of Netflix’s most popular shows, so this method can be repeated with Echo and potentially a few additional projects on Disney+, perhaps bringing greater success to a series focusing on one of the MCU’s lesser-known heroes.
Fridays Are Better For MCU TV Show Releases Than Wednesdays
Though the entirety of Echo is set to be released on Disney+ on a Wednesday, Loki season 2 will release weekly starting from Friday, October 6, 2023. When Marvel Studios first started to release TV shows on Disney+, they would air weekly on Fridays, with WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier sticking to this pattern. However, from Loki season 1 onward, episodes were released on Wednesdays instead, and although She-Hulk: Attorney at Law broke this trend by releasing on Thursdays, Secret Invasion will release on Wednesdays again. However, Loki season 2 will be airing every Friday, which could be a great choice for the upcoming series.
Airing episodes on Fridays instead of mid-week means that those who may be busier during the week will have the opportunity to watch episodes right away or over the weekend. Fridays also perhaps have the feeling of a more premium day, allowing Loki season 2 to perhaps mirror the theatrical releases of some of Marvel Studios’ feature films. Though it’s currently unknown what pattern Ironheart, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and Daredevil: Born Again will follow when they release in 2024, Loki season 2 and Echo could mark the start of some excellent changes for Disney+ releases in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
