Daredevil: Born Again has gone through some stuff. That’s an understatement, but it’s also no secret that, aside from Deadpool and Wolverine (who are newly inducted), that the MCU went through a “blip” of its own after the Thanos phase concluded. Kevin Feige admitted that lessons were learned following flagging box-office returns after the universe had oversaturated its audience with too much “homework”: too many TV shows, too many movies, and too much “multiverse” meant that an overhaul was in order. Who knows whether the supposed Blade reboot will survive these changes, but Marvel Studios did prioritize a substantial retooling of Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) return to TV with rewrites, reshoots, and the works.
As a result, Netflix’s former Daredevil series was declared official canon, although it’s not crystal clear whether the same will apply to the troubled Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), who will still appear in this rewritten MCU series, after The Punisher Netflix series took a bizarre and softer turn in its own second season. But hey, look ^^^ at those photos of Cox and Bernthal filming in New York City earlier this year. It’s happening, so let’s figure out what to expect from the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen or Hornhead, or whatever the kids are calling him these days.
Plot
Disney+ subscribers already saw Charlie Cox returning to the MCU as Matt Murdock/Daredevil in an Echo fight scene after Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk/Kingpin circled back to the universe in the Hawkeye series. He, too, will return, but on that action note, Marvel Studios streaming chief Brad Winderbaum recently told Entertainment Weekly that this series will contain “some of the most brutal action we’ve ever brought to the screen is coming in Daredevil: Born Again, which isn’t a horror show, but really it packs a lot of power and there’s a lot of visceral action.”
As for the rewrites, the retooled story will be grittier than the nixed version, which Hollywood Reporter described as follows:
Sources say that [Matt] Corman and [Chris] Ord crafted a legal procedural that did not resemble the Netflix version, known for its action and violence. Cox didn’t even show up in costume until the fourth episode. Marvel, after greenlighting the concept, found itself needing to rethink the original intention of the show.
“Cox didn’t even show up in costume until the fourth episode”?
That wouldn’t fly for sure, but now, Daredevil: Born Again will be considered a continuation of the Netflix series. Fingers crossed that Jessica Jones could eventually receive the same treatment, as long as that effort isn’t rushed, but it sounds like Frank Castle/The Punisher will be a prominent part of this new series, which is happening on Disney+, so let that sink in. Zero hints have dropped on whether Castle will appear like his first season Netflix incarnation rather than what ended his show.
For that matter, Disney+ has kept their lips zipped on too many plot details, other than (thankfully) to expect an end product like we saw from Daredevil on Netflix.
Cast
Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle are the main attractions. Additionally, two returning faces include Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin and Wilson Bethel as as Benjamin Poindexter/Bullseye. Later breaking confirmed comebacks include Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page and Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson. The cast also includes Margarita Levieva, Arty Froushan, Michael Gandolfini, Nikki M. James, and Sandrine Holt.
Release Date
Daredevil: Born Again will “be coming exclusively to Disney+” in March 2025.
Trailer
In case you missed Charlie Cox returning to the MCU in Echo, have at it:
Now, it’s Frank Castle’s turn.