‘Echo’ Now Streaming on Disney+ in the Choctaw Language
The Marvel Television series stars Alaqua Cox as antihero Maya Lopez.
Marvel Television’s Echo marked a few firsts for the studio, including the first TV-MA series and the first show under the Marvel Spotlight banner. Now, it’s also the first show dubbed in the Choctaw language.
Echo debuted on Disney+ in January of this year, and the five-episode series follows Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she is pursued by Wilson Fisk’s criminal empire. When the journey brings her home to Oklahoma, she must confront her own family and legacy. The gritty, grounded series is a self-contained story that follows Maya’s pursuit of power and revenge. But at the heart of the show is a burgeoning antihero with roots in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
To make sure that cultural specificity and authenticity carried through every aspect of the series, filmmakers reached out to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, working closely with key members such as Chief Gary Batton, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Dr. Ian Thompson, and Executive Director of Cultural Services Seth Fairchild. Accurate portrayal of Choctaw history and culture was hugely important to everyone on the show — which is why Marvel Television was thrilled to have the team come back to create a Choctaw dub of Echo.
Ms. Teri Billy, Assistant Director of the Chahta Anumpa Aiikhvna, School of Choctaw Language, consulted on Echo during production and developing and returned to lead the translation and dubbing effort.
“Echo was never about outsiders coming in and telling a story,” Billy said about the series. “They sincerely asked for our input about Choctaw culture and language, and it really shaped the end product. It will be especially inspiring for our tribal members to see a production like this translated into our language, which enhances understanding of tribal sovereignty.”