Deadpool 3 and the upcoming Hawkeye spinoff Echo are missing from Disney’s schedule of upcoming releases, despite previously being expected to premiere within the period covered.

Since it was first announced that Disney was already working on a Hawkeye spin-off about the character Echo, the project has been one of the most anticipated upcoming Disney Plus series, with fans eager to learn more about the hearing-impaired Native’s backstory and the fallout of her actions on Hawkeye. On the theatrical end, Deadpool 3 has been the most highly anticipated Marvel Studios project since it was announced alongside the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.

Deadpool 3 started filming before the strikes halted production, and Marvel Studios previously confirmed Echo‘s Disney Plus release date. However, both projects were notably absent from the upcoming schedules for theatrical releases and Key upcoming Disney Plus and Hulu releases that were shown during a recent investor call for Disney. This is despite the previous graphic for theatrical releases shown just days earlier, which included an untitled Deadpool project slated for a May 2024 release and Echo previously set to debut in November.

With the strike action undertaken by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, delays are inevitable for many projects. Both writers for developing projects and actors for projects already in production are unavailable to continue work on those productions, with few exceptions granted. This isn’t exactly a first either, with Echo‘s prior 2023 release date being due to delays. There is the possibility that the Echo series is not seen as enough of a priority to qualify as a “key” release on the Disney Plus streaming service. However, that shortsighted view of it would be as big an issue as the possible delays or production issues.

What Echo‘s allegedly troubled production says about Marvel Studios’ creative process aside, the company’s recently purported shift in ideology to quality over quantity might mean that the extra time is a necessary step to ensure that the projects that haven’t met the cutting-room floor in the grand scheme of the MCU are up to the new standard set by executives. Deadpool 3 is an important bridge between older Fox projects and the MCU that could make or break prospects for characters and storylines. Meanwhile, Echo is an exciting story with a diverse lead that could help make inroads for more of the same in the MCU. Neither project can afford to fall to the audience fatigue plaguing the franchise.

To that end, there is no factor more important than the writing and the stars bringing the scripts to life, with Ryan Reynolds teaming up with the Deadpool 3 scribes and the Echo series adding Daredevil and The Punisher writers to the team. While neither delay has been confirmed yet, fans will have to expect the worst regarding release dates and bear with those working on these projects while the parties involved in negotiations work out an equitable deal for all affected.

Source: The Walt Disney Company