Spoiler warning: This story contains spoilers for Hawkeye.

The Marvel machine never stops turning. Moon Knight is over, Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is in theaters right now, and Ms. Marvel is waiting in the wings, but Marvel Studios keeps moving forward. Today, it announced that Echo is beginning production, with a planned release in 2023 on Disney+.

The series follows Maya Lopez, the Kingpin enforcer who featured in the Disney+ series Hawkeye. Maya, also known as Echo, is a deaf fighter with photographic reflexes. She was an Enforcer for Wilson Fisk who wanted revenge against Hawkeye for killing her father while in his Ronin persona. Ultimately, she parted ways with Fisk, shooting him towards the end of the series.

The Disney Plus show picks up with Maya in her hometown, when her former criminal activities in New York begin to catch up with her. According to Marvel, Maya has to "reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward."

As such, the cast is filled out with Native actors, including Twilight and The English actor Chaske Spencer, Stumptown and Killers of the Flower Moon actress Tantoo Cardinal, Reservation Dogs and American Gods actress Devery Jacobs, Hey Viktor! writer and director Cody Lightning, and 1883's Graham Greene. Zahn McClarnon is also reprising his role as Maya's deceased father, William Lopez.

A first look at Marvel Studios’ Echo. Coming to @DisneyPlus in 2023. pic.twitter.com/C4ySMS9jud

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) May 17, 2022

Episodes of Echo will be directed by Sydney Freeland, who previously directed episodes of Reservation Dogs, Rutherford Falls, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds; and Catriona McKenzie, who has directed episodes of The Walking Dead, Supernatural, and Mythic Quest. Both directors are also of Native heritage, with Marvel pointing out that Freeland is Navajo and McKenzie is Gunaikurnai.

Echo looks to tell a mostly original story for the character, whose comic appearances have largely been in the pages of Daredevil and Avengers. Echo moved from being a Daredevil antagonist to a hero in her own right, and currently she's the host of the Phoenix Force.

Echo is coming to Disney Plus in 2023. While we're waiting for that series to drop, Ms. Marvel will be making her presence felt on the streaming service on June 8, 2022. The film side of Marvel Studios will then follow that up with Thor: Love and Thunder, hitting theaters on July 8, 2022.

Mike Williams is a freelance writer at IGN

Spoiler warning: This story contains spoilers for Hawkeye.

The Marvel machine never stops turning. Moon Knight is over, Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is in theaters right now, and Ms. Marvel is waiting in the wings, but Marvel Studios keeps moving forward. Today, it announced that Echo is beginning production, with a planned release in 2023 on Disney+.

The series follows Maya Lopez, the Kingpin enforcer who featured in the Disney+ series Hawkeye. Maya, also known as Echo, is a deaf fighter with photographic reflexes. She was an Enforcer for Wilson Fisk who wanted revenge against Hawkeye for killing her father while in his Ronin persona. Ultimately, she parted ways with Fisk, shooting him towards the end of the series.

The Disney Plus show picks up with Maya in her hometown, when her former criminal activities in New York begin to catch up with her. According to Marvel, Maya has to "reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward."

As such, the cast is filled out with Native actors, including Twilight and The English actor Chaske Spencer, Stumptown and Killers of the Flower Moon actress Tantoo Cardinal, Reservation Dogs and American Gods actress Devery Jacobs, Hey Viktor! writer and director Cody Lightning, and 1883's Graham Greene. Zahn McClarnon is also reprising his role as Maya's deceased father, William Lopez.

A first look at Marvel Studios’ Echo. Coming to @DisneyPlus in 2023. pic.twitter.com/C4ySMS9jud

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) May 17, 2022

Episodes of Echo will be directed by Sydney Freeland, who previously directed episodes of Reservation Dogs, Rutherford Falls, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds; and Catriona McKenzie, who has directed episodes of The Walking Dead, Supernatural, and Mythic Quest. Both directors are also of Native heritage, with Marvel pointing out that Freeland is Navajo and McKenzie is Gunaikurnai.

Echo looks to tell a mostly original story for the character, whose comic appearances have largely been in the pages of Daredevil and Avengers. Echo moved from being a Daredevil antagonist to a hero in her own right, and currently she's the host of the Phoenix Force.

Echo is coming to Disney Plus in 2023. While we're waiting for that series to drop, Ms. Marvel will be making her presence felt on the streaming service on June 8, 2022. The film side of Marvel Studios will then follow that up with Thor: Love and Thunder, hitting theaters on July 8, 2022.

Mike Williams is a freelance writer at IGN

A new still from Thor: Love and Thunder is now available, and while it's just one image, it offers quite a bit of insight for fans hungry for new info about the upcoming MCU movie.

In the photo, we can see Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie and Natalie Portman's Mighty Thor. Much has been said about Portman's increased physique for the role and she clearly shows off the results of her training. Valkyrie seems to be wearing a different set of armor, a far cry from the business suit she wore in the recent trailer.

However, the person sitting below them is a little more interesting. Some have identified the figure as the Goddess Bast, played by Akosia Sabet. Bast is well-known as a Panther deity worshipped by the Wakandans. Given that Gorr, the God Butcher is integral to Love and Thunder's story, it's not surprising that Bast would be present in the movie.

It's unknown if this is Bast herself or an avatar hosting the spirit of Bast similar to Moon Knight and Khonshu. The scene pictured here could be a gathering of different pantheons of gods and goddesses as they reckon with the threat of Gorr. Russell Crowe's Zeus was shown briefly in the trailer standing in front of what could be other deities.

Mighty Thor and Valkyrie being in attendance would also make sense considering they would represent the Norse pantheon.

There's also speculation that aspects of Moon Knight might tie into Love and Thunder's plot considering its focus on the Egyptian pantheon. In fact, the show was originally going to reference Love and Thunder, but the idea was scrapped due to scheduling uncertainties.

Thor: Love and Thunder releases on July 8, 2022. While you wait, go take a look at what's on the horizon for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Kevin Feige and his team plan the next ten years.

David Matthews is a freelance writer specializing in consumer tech and gaming. He also strongly believes that sugar does not go in grits. Follow him on Twitter @shortblktechie

A new still from Thor: Love and Thunder is now available, and while it's just one image, it offers quite a bit of insight for fans hungry for new info about the upcoming MCU movie.

In the photo, we can see Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie and Natalie Portman's Mighty Thor. Much has been said about Portman's increased physique for the role and she clearly shows off the results of her training. Valkyrie seems to be wearing a different set of armor, a far cry from the business suit she wore in the recent trailer.

However, the person sitting below them is a little more interesting. Some have identified the figure as the Goddess Bast, played by Akosia Sabet. Bast is well-known as a Panther deity worshipped by the Wakandans. Given that Gorr, the God Butcher is integral to Love and Thunder's story, it's not surprising that Bast would be present in the movie.

It's unknown if this is Bast herself or an avatar hosting the spirit of Bast similar to Moon Knight and Khonshu. The scene pictured here could be a gathering of different pantheons of gods and goddesses as they reckon with the threat of Gorr. Russell Crowe's Zeus was shown briefly in the trailer standing in front of what could be other deities.

Mighty Thor and Valkyrie being in attendance would also make sense considering they would represent the Norse pantheon.

There's also speculation that aspects of Moon Knight might tie into Love and Thunder's plot considering its focus on the Egyptian pantheon. In fact, the show was originally going to reference Love and Thunder, but the idea was scrapped due to scheduling uncertainties.

Thor: Love and Thunder releases on July 8, 2022. While you wait, go take a look at what's on the horizon for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Kevin Feige and his team plan the next ten years.

David Matthews is a freelance writer specializing in consumer tech and gaming. He also strongly believes that sugar does not go in grits. Follow him on Twitter @shortblktechie

Netflix has laid off around 150 employees, or about 2% of its total workforce, primarily due to budget cuts and "business needs."

In an internal email sent to staff viewed by IGN, Netflix Global Head of HR Sergio Ezama informed employees today about the layoffs, writing, “These changes are especially tough as they are primarily driven by business needs, not individual performance, and no one wants to lose great colleagues.”

Furthermore, the email says that as Netflix continues to prioritize its biggest opportunities, like non-English content, and amid further budget constraints due to slowing revenue, employees should “sadly expect some more departures in the coming months.”

A Netflix spokesperson told IGN, "As we explained on earnings, our slowing revenue growth means we are also having to slow our cost growth as a company. So sadly, we are letting around 150 employees go today, mostly US-based.

"These changes are primarily driven by business needs rather than individual performance, which makes them especially tough as none of us want to say goodbye to such great colleagues. We're working hard to support them through this very difficult transition. A number of agency contractors have also been impacted by the news announced this morning. We are grateful for their contributions to Netflix.

After years of dominating the streaming industry in Hollywood, Netflix is on the defensive after announcing its biggest subscription loss earlier this year. During a financial briefing, Netflix announced it was down 200,000 subscribers compared to the previous quarter, and the company expects to lose another 2 million subscribers in the coming quarter.

News of Netflix's subscriber woes recently caused its shares to plummet to its lowest point since 2018.

Since then, Netflix has cut back on its programming slate, including slashing its animation projects — which Ezama confirmed in the employee email — and laying off most of its in-house editorial team, Tudum.

Netflix plans to explore alternative strategies to grow including a new focus on mobile games, cracking down on password sharing, introducing a cheaper ad-supported tier, and potentially offering live streaming. But with the latest round of layoffs, and knowing there could be even more in the future, Netflix is no longer in the position of strength it once was.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Additional reporting by Kat Bailey, IGN's Senior Editor. You can reach her @The_Katbot

Netflix has laid off around 150 employees, or about 2% of its total workforce, primarily due to budget cuts and "business needs."

In an internal email sent to staff viewed by IGN, Netflix Global Head of HR Sergio Ezama informed employees today about the layoffs, writing, “These changes are especially tough as they are primarily driven by business needs, not individual performance, and no one wants to lose great colleagues.”

Furthermore, the email says that as Netflix continues to prioritize its biggest opportunities, like non-English content, and amid further budget constraints due to slowing revenue, employees should “sadly expect some more departures in the coming months.”

A Netflix spokesperson told IGN, "As we explained on earnings, our slowing revenue growth means we are also having to slow our cost growth as a company. So sadly, we are letting around 150 employees go today, mostly US-based.

"These changes are primarily driven by business needs rather than individual performance, which makes them especially tough as none of us want to say goodbye to such great colleagues. We're working hard to support them through this very difficult transition. A number of agency contractors have also been impacted by the news announced this morning. We are grateful for their contributions to Netflix.

After years of dominating the streaming industry in Hollywood, Netflix is on the defensive after announcing its biggest subscription loss earlier this year. During a financial briefing, Netflix announced it was down 200,000 subscribers compared to the previous quarter, and the company expects to lose another 2 million subscribers in the coming quarter.

News of Netflix's subscriber woes recently caused its shares to plummet to its lowest point since 2018.

Since then, Netflix has cut back on its programming slate, including slashing its animation projects — which Ezama confirmed in the employee email — and laying off most of its in-house editorial team, Tudum.

Netflix plans to explore alternative strategies to grow including a new focus on mobile games, cracking down on password sharing, introducing a cheaper ad-supported tier, and potentially offering live streaming. But with the latest round of layoffs, and knowing there could be even more in the future, Netflix is no longer in the position of strength it once was.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Additional reporting by Kat Bailey, IGN's Senior Editor. You can reach her @The_Katbot

As Star Wars fans await the highly-anticipated rematch between Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hayden Christensen's Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi showrunner Deborah Chow is sharing some insight about what makes the duo's relationship tick.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Chow said Obi-Wan and Anakin's fractured bond is compelling because of the love they once felt for one another, and the dynamic between them is what led Chow to feel Christensen's casting as Darth Vader was a necessity.

“For me, across the prequels, through the original trilogy, there’s a love-story dynamic with these two that goes through the whole thing,” Chow said. “I felt like it was quite hard to not [include] the person who left Kenobi in such anguish in the series.”

While #ObiWan anguishes over his past, Anakin Skywalker is a man at war with himself. Showrunner Deborah Chow tells V.F. that what intrigued her most about the series was the thread between them: “I don’t think [Obi-Wan] ever will not care about him... They loved each other.” pic.twitter.com/E6uvJVQl4k

— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) May 17, 2022

It seems the show could explore Obi-Wan's lingering feelings for Anakin, as Chow says Obi-Wan certainly still cares about him.

“I don’t know how you could not,” she says. “I don’t think he ever will not care about him. What’s special about that relationship is that they loved each other.”

Christensen also shed some light on how the show could explore Vader's psyche post-Revenge of the Sith, saying we could see a new vulnerable side to the character.

“A lot of my conversations with Deborah [Chow] were about wanting to convey this feeling of strength, but also coupled with imprisonment,” Christensen said. “There is this power and vulnerability, and I think that’s an interesting space to explore.”

It won't be long until we get to see the two characters interact on screen again, as Obi-Wan Kenobi will premiere on Disney Plus on May 27 with two episodes. The latest trailer also gave us a glimpse of Darth Vader and plenty of action.

For more on Obi-Wan Kenobi, read about how it took McGregor months to re-find his Obi-Wan voice. Or, check out when McGregor hinted at an Obi-Wan connection to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

As Star Wars fans await the highly-anticipated rematch between Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hayden Christensen's Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi showrunner Deborah Chow is sharing some insight about what makes the duo's relationship tick.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Chow said Obi-Wan and Anakin's fractured bond is compelling because of the love they once felt for one another, and the dynamic between them is what led Chow to feel Christensen's casting as Darth Vader was a necessity.

“For me, across the prequels, through the original trilogy, there’s a love-story dynamic with these two that goes through the whole thing,” Chow said. “I felt like it was quite hard to not [include] the person who left Kenobi in such anguish in the series.”

While #ObiWan anguishes over his past, Anakin Skywalker is a man at war with himself. Showrunner Deborah Chow tells V.F. that what intrigued her most about the series was the thread between them: “I don’t think [Obi-Wan] ever will not care about him... They loved each other.” pic.twitter.com/E6uvJVQl4k

— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) May 17, 2022

It seems the show could explore Obi-Wan's lingering feelings for Anakin, as Chow says Obi-Wan certainly still cares about him.

“I don’t know how you could not,” she says. “I don’t think he ever will not care about him. What’s special about that relationship is that they loved each other.”

Christensen also shed some light on how the show could explore Vader's psyche post-Revenge of the Sith, saying we could see a new vulnerable side to the character.

“A lot of my conversations with Deborah [Chow] were about wanting to convey this feeling of strength, but also coupled with imprisonment,” Christensen said. “There is this power and vulnerability, and I think that’s an interesting space to explore.”

It won't be long until we get to see the two characters interact on screen again, as Obi-Wan Kenobi will premiere on Disney Plus on May 27 with two episodes. The latest trailer also gave us a glimpse of Darth Vader and plenty of action.

For more on Obi-Wan Kenobi, read about how it took McGregor months to re-find his Obi-Wan voice. Or, check out when McGregor hinted at an Obi-Wan connection to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Following rumors that horror game developer Bloober Team is remaking the legendary Silent Hill 2, CEO Piotr Babieno has said he cannot comment, but hopes to make an announcement about the company's future projects "as soon as we can". He added that its unannounced project will "still be a Bloober Team title", even if it's made in partnership with another company. Babieno also explained that future Bloober games will be bigger and more gameplay-focused than in the past, and will not be "walking sim"-type experiences.

Speaking to IGN at Polish games conference Digital Dragons, Babieno responded to rumors (first reported by influencer Nate the Hate and subsequently journalist Jeff Grubb) about a Silent Hill 2 Remake by saying:

“We can’t comment on anything we are doing because we appreciate our relationship with our partners, of course. So we can’t [say] anything. We will make an announcement about our future projects as soon as we can. So then you will know much more." Chuckling, he added, "Officially."

Bloober Team entered into a partnership with Konami — owner of the Silent Hill series — last year. Since then, multiple reports have linked the developer (which developed horror games Layers of Fear, Observer, Blair Witch, and The Medium) with a Silent Hill project. It was even forced to deny that some of its unused game concepts were planned Silent Hill titles. Bloober confirmed previously that it's simultaneously working on two titles, one with Konami, while another, due to be published by Private Division, is a new IP. Babieno tells me a third title is in pre-production.

Later in the interview, I asked Babieno about the company's experience working with a license holder in the case of Blair Witch, and the CEO briefly referenced one of Bloober's upcoming projects, making clear that his company's approach is to make games on its own terms, even if it's within someone else's franchise.

“I would say that it’s hard to work with someone who [owns an IP you’re working on], but we are always talking with those licensors, [saying] 'Guys we would like to use your license, but we would like to tell our own story.' If we are not able to tell our own story, if we will not have creative freedom, it doesn’t make sense, because Bloober Team will not make a great game," Babieno said. "If you are in a prison, you will not be able to fly. So that’s why we are trying to only [make] those titles in which we are feeling, ‘OK, it will be a Bloober Team game, not someone [else’s].' So even on the project we can’t talk [about], it will still be a Bloober Team title.”

Babieno didn't make clear that this was a reference to the Konami title, but it feels likely given that Bloober's Private Division game is a new IP. If that is the case, and Bloober is working on Silent Hill, Babieno's words could be taken to mean that the company is applying its own ideas to Silent Hill 2, or alternatively that its Silent Hill game is actually a new story in the series entirely. The CEO did not provide any further comment on those lines.

Speaking more generally about Bloober Team's future, Babieno said that the company was aiming to change the kinds of games it makes, while sticking with the dark, psychologically focused subject areas it has specialised in.

“There are a lot of people in our team who would like to do bigger games, with more gameplay, with some game mechanics [we haven’t used before] because mostly our past titles were experience-like, right? It was more about the mood, about the story, not necessarily about gameplay. [...] We would like to do games which will tell our stories based on the game mechanics. So you could expect that each of our future titles will have a lot of gameplay mechanics. Those titles will be bigger.”

He added that Bloober's games would continue to transition away from the "walking simulator" approach of its early successes, such as Layers of Fear.

"It’s not a huge jump, it’s rather evolution, but right now we are well-prepared to make games similar to Hellblade, to name [one example]. But I would say that we will still have our DNA - those games will still belong to Bloober Team’s legacy, and they will be bigger. We will tell stories [through gameplay], it will not be walking sim kinds of experience in the future, but still, the subject, those feelings which we would [we would like our fans to feel], they will remain," Babieno said.

Aside from the rumors about a Silent Hill 2 remake, images from what is rumored to be a brand new Silent Hill were revealed last week — and swiftly deleted after a copyright claim. The deletion seems to lend credence to their authenticity, although Konami has not commented.

Silent Hill 2 remains one of the most beloved games ever released. We named the PS2 psychological horror one of the best games of all time, calling it "an exploration of the depths of human depravity and the effects it has on the people and places around us that few video games have handled with such a disturbing grace and maturity."

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Following rumors that horror game developer Bloober Team is remaking the legendary Silent Hill 2, CEO Piotr Babieno has said he cannot comment, but hopes to make an announcement about the company's future projects "as soon as we can". He added that its unannounced project will "still be a Bloober Team title", even if it's made in partnership with another company. Babieno also explained that future Bloober games will be bigger and more gameplay-focused than in the past, and will not be "walking sim"-type experiences.

Speaking to IGN at Polish games conference Digital Dragons, Babieno responded to rumors (first reported by influencer Nate the Hate and subsequently journalist Jeff Grubb) about a Silent Hill 2 Remake by saying:

“We can’t comment on anything we are doing because we appreciate our relationship with our partners, of course. So we can’t [say] anything. We will make an announcement about our future projects as soon as we can. So then you will know much more." Chuckling, he added, "Officially."

Bloober Team entered into a partnership with Konami — owner of the Silent Hill series — last year. Since then, multiple reports have linked the developer (which developed horror games Layers of Fear, Observer, Blair Witch, and The Medium) with a Silent Hill project. It was even forced to deny that some of its unused game concepts were planned Silent Hill titles. Bloober confirmed previously that it's simultaneously working on two titles, one with Konami, while another, due to be published by Private Division, is a new IP. Babieno tells me a third title is in pre-production.

Later in the interview, I asked Babieno about the company's experience working with a license holder in the case of Blair Witch, and the CEO briefly referenced one of Bloober's upcoming projects, making clear that his company's approach is to make games on its own terms, even if it's within someone else's franchise.

“I would say that it’s hard to work with someone who [owns an IP you’re working on], but we are always talking with those licensors, [saying] 'Guys we would like to use your license, but we would like to tell our own story.' If we are not able to tell our own story, if we will not have creative freedom, it doesn’t make sense, because Bloober Team will not make a great game," Babieno said. "If you are in a prison, you will not be able to fly. So that’s why we are trying to only [make] those titles in which we are feeling, ‘OK, it will be a Bloober Team game, not someone [else’s].' So even on the project we can’t talk [about], it will still be a Bloober Team title.”

Babieno didn't make clear that this was a reference to the Konami title, but it feels likely given that Bloober's Private Division game is a new IP. If that is the case, and Bloober is working on Silent Hill, Babieno's words could be taken to mean that the company is applying its own ideas to Silent Hill 2, or alternatively that its Silent Hill game is actually a new story in the series entirely. The CEO did not provide any further comment on those lines.

Speaking more generally about Bloober Team's future, Babieno said that the company was aiming to change the kinds of games it makes, while sticking with the dark, psychologically focused subject areas it has specialised in.

“There are a lot of people in our team who would like to do bigger games, with more gameplay, with some game mechanics [we haven’t used before] because mostly our past titles were experience-like, right? It was more about the mood, about the story, not necessarily about gameplay. [...] We would like to do games which will tell our stories based on the game mechanics. So you could expect that each of our future titles will have a lot of gameplay mechanics. Those titles will be bigger.”

He added that Bloober's games would continue to transition away from the "walking simulator" approach of its early successes, such as Layers of Fear.

"It’s not a huge jump, it’s rather evolution, but right now we are well-prepared to make games similar to Hellblade, to name [one example]. But I would say that we will still have our DNA - those games will still belong to Bloober Team’s legacy, and they will be bigger. We will tell stories [through gameplay], it will not be walking sim kinds of experience in the future, but still, the subject, those feelings which we would [we would like our fans to feel], they will remain," Babieno said.

Aside from the rumors about a Silent Hill 2 remake, images from what is rumored to be a brand new Silent Hill were revealed last week — and swiftly deleted after a copyright claim. The deletion seems to lend credence to their authenticity, although Konami has not commented.

Silent Hill 2 remains one of the most beloved games ever released. We named the PS2 psychological horror one of the best games of all time, calling it "an exploration of the depths of human depravity and the effects it has on the people and places around us that few video games have handled with such a disturbing grace and maturity."

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.