Disney's Marvel franchise has faced some challenges at the global box office in recent years. But could a deaf, Native American superhero with a prosthetic leg be able to create a new craze in the series?Just a few weeks ago, Disney's CEO hinted at criticizing filmmakers for placing too much emphasis on messaging and neglecting the telling of the story itself.
It is reported that in the upcoming streaming ** series "Echo" on Disney+ and Hulu, we will see the story of Maya Lopez, a deaf and mute Native American superhero. She is a tough ex-villain who leaves her criminal life in New York to return to her hometown in Oklahoma to rediscover her Indigenous identity.
Much of the dialogue in the series is done in sign language and subtitles, and the producers worked closely with the leaders of the Chocco Nation to create realistic scenes, even including a flashback scene about a sports festival in the former Americas where Europe touched.
Lead actor Alaqua Cox, who is also a deaf Aboriginal amputee herself, said at a recent press conference: "I am very proud to represent such a platform that elevates the voices of Indigenous people......We're doing it the right way. ”
However, the launch of Echo comes at a difficult time for Disney. The Marvel franchise has had challenges at the box office in recent years, and in a recent speech, Disney's chief executive, Bob Iger, criticized producers for focusing too much on messaging and ignoring the storyline.
For the first time in the past year, Disney lost its top-grossing spot in Hollywood, being replaced by Universal. At the same time, Disney has also become the epicenter of the American culture wars, coming under fire from right-wing critics and Republican politicians who see Disney's storytelling as too "woke-up."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a candidate for the state of Florida, has expressed frustration with the growing number of gay and non-binary gender characters in Disney films, and at a conference last November, Mr. Iger said Disney's writers were too focused on delivering a "positive message" and neglected the overarching goal.
Through diverse casting, Echo represents a trend at Disney, and the Marvel franchise has featured white males since the launch of Iron Man in 2008. It wasn't until the 18th film "Black Panther" that there was a non-white male lead for the first time. Despite the decline in box office revenue, Disney is still introducing more diverse protagonists.
Research on audience groups shows that Disney's casting decisions are "more in line with the tastes of audiences all along," especially with a more diverse young American audience. Professor Lasina also noted that non-white audiences, especially black and white Hispanic viewers, prefer the Marvel franchise, which is inconsistent with Iger's comments.
Marvel's diverse character selection stems as much from business strategy as it does from comic book history. The oldest characters tend to be white males because of the rich history and nostalgia that these characters have. Disney's Marvel project hopes to reach a larger audience by introducing different characters to the audience.
Regarding Eiger's comments, Professor Kearns thinks this may simply reflect that "these are very difficult and challenging times, and as a leader, it is very tricky to get involved in politics". The success of the film "Echo" still depends on the storyline.
In conclusion, we are all human regardless of race, gender, or disability, and we are all capable of empathizing with emotions. The launch of the movie "Echo" is expected to breathe new life into Disney's Marvel series and recapture the audience's attention. It's also Disney's attempt to fight back against the dilemma, regaining the hearts and minds of audiences through diversity and sophisticated storytelling.