Before attorney Matt Murdock pulled up a chair at Aunt May’s kitchen table inSpider-Man: No Way Home,Daredevilhad languished in limbo since 2018. Accompanying the cameo, we received official word from Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige thatCharlie Cox’s Daredevil would be joining the ranks of the MCU.
Straight from Feige is official as it gets, so fans rejoiced at the announcement. But how would their beloved Hornhead be gracing the MCU? A new show? A film? We got our answer on May 19 with a statement from producers and screenwriters Matt Corman and Chris Ord. The pair announced thatthey were attached to a new Disney+Daredevilseriesin its planning stages.
Charlie Cox is back, but what about supporting cast members Elden Henson, Deborah Ann Woll, and many, many more? The series was largely built on Cox’s charisma, charm, and rock-solid embodiment of the characters of both Murdock and his alter ego, butDaredevilwas still an ensemble effort. Also, there’s the blood-red elephant in the room – the trademark graphic violence of the original series. Will the Mouse allow the brutal beatings and their bloody results to continue on its platform? Or will the new series dull out the edge of the original Netflix iteration?
Here is what theDaredevilreboot needs to get right and what it needs to retain from the original series.
Bring Back the Original DaredevilCast & Storylines
What we want to see most out ofDaredevilis continuity in its cast and storylines. Would Disney start from scratch with just Charlie Cox? Not likely, as Wilson Fisk, AKA the Kingpin, has already been established to be out of prison and terrorizing New York once again. TheDaredevilcast is exceptional, nailing every role from one-off street toughs up through the series regulars. Henson’s wimpy but brave Foggy Nelson is the co-heart of the show alongside Cox and Woll’s haunted but determined Karen Paige is the connective tissue. And, of course, there’s Vincent D’Onofrio’s excellent run as the enigmatic and mercurial crime boss Fisk. These actors need to come back for the next round.
Daredevil’s character arc has rounded and fleshed him out as a person underneath the mask and body armor. His journey is littered with victories and disappointments, scars and doubt, but he always pulls through. The final shot of the original series sees Daredevil watching over his city from a rooftop after another scathing battle with Fisk and his own demons. It’s both a loose end and a great jumping-off point for a new series.
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Oh, not to mention a littleDaredevilvillain named Bullseye.Disney+ also acquired and published all former Netflix titlesimmediately after securing the rights. It’s likely Disney knows what they have, andDaredevilwill pick up where season three left off.
Let the Blood Flow as Freely This Time Around
Daredevilholds true to the comics in nearly every regard. It takes some liberties and freshens up some characters, but overall it’s pulled right from the pages ofthe best Frank Miller issues. With one very glaring facet: graphic and bloody violence on par with ’80s slasher films. The blood and gore in the original were, at times, a little over the top. We’re not clutching pearls, and the comics aren’t G-rated, but the production must have had a fake blood budget on par with aFriday the 13thsequel.
If the action stays the same, there’ll be no complaints, but Disney will not go for it. IfDaredevilcan replicate the action of shows likeHawkeyeandMoon Knight, they’ll be in good shape. Those series hit a pitch-perfect tone of violence and gratuity. And after all, the original show was about its heart, not the severed heads. ThinkFalcon and the Winter Soldiertastefully showing off some dismemberment and arm breaks without needing a puke bag.
Continue the Themes of the Netflix Series
In betweenDaredevil’schoreography and character development are the broader, bigger picture themes.Daredevilwasn’t just fighting bad guys for kicks on a Friday night. He was trying to save his city, one back-alley brawl and low-level street goon at a time. Sometimes more than one. “This is MY city, MY family!” Daredevil memorably shouted at Fisk before knocking him down for the count and the cops.
Netflix’sDaredevildidn’t just hit faces but on tones of morals, redemption, and hope.Disney+ has an excellent track recordso far. Its MCU slate hasn’t been all CGI-addled action and explosions. FromWandaVisionup throughHawkeye, the streaming service has taken cues from its Netflix predecessors by injecting each MCU series with its own unique theme and undertones.
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Daredevileffectively launched the MCU slate of shows while a streaming service was just a glint in Disney’s eye, so it has nothing to prove in terms of originality. The formula established byDaredevilin its three seasons just worked, so the next adventure should count as season four.
