Before Daredevil: Born Again went through a major overhaul — which I first revealed exclusively — the series had plans for a storyline involving both the Punisher and Echo.
Writer Jesse Wigutow recently told IGN that Marvel Studios was considering a “bottle episode” centered around Frank Castle and Maya Lopez.
So that means the episode wouldn’t have even featured Daredevil, the titular character of the show.
The Scrapped Episode
“They were looking to do a kind of singular bottle episode around the Punisher crossing into the Daredevil space,” Wigutow said. “This was two, three years ago, and one thing led to another, and I came in to largely focus on that.”
According to Wigutow, the story would have seen the Punisher and Echo spend “an interesting night together.” He clarified that it wasn’t meant as a romantic subplot, but instead a narrative-driven one.
Ultimately, the idea was dropped as the show’s development changed course. “Who knows, maybe it comes back again,” Wigutow added. “But the story has been a little kind of crooked in terms of the development, and it was part of a former idea.”
Also worth noting is that the character of Echo is def, so if there was any dialogue, it likely would have been one-sided with The Punisher.
Echo and Daredevil Struggled on Disney+
The mention of Echo is notable, as her solo series became one of the least-viewed MCU shows on Disney+.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 didn’t fare much better, struggling to gain traction despite high expectations from fans.
What’s Next?
Echo’s future in the MCU remains unclear after the underwhelming response to her series.
The Punisher, however, is confirmed to return, with Jon Bernthal reprising the role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and the Punisher special he is currently developing.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is also currently in development, leaving the door open for new storylines, and recently saw the news that Season 3 is in the works.
