There was a time when it seemed like Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio’s respective times as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk were finished once Netflix cancelled Daredevil after three seasons, that’s long behind us. Both have made their MCU returns within the last few years, and after these men reprise their respective roles in Echo, the upcoming Marvel TV show that drops next January, we’ll see them back for Daredevil: Born Again. That’s right, the time has finally come for Marvel Comics’ Man Without Fear to finally take center stage within the MCU proper.
Although multiple signs point towards Born Again, which boasts an impressive cast, not taking the events of Netflix’s Daredevil into account (in other words, don’t consider this Daredevil Season 4), as part of the massive behind-the-scenes overhaul the show is going through, the new creative team, which includes major Loki talent, is looking to bring it closer in tone to Daredevil. I’m certainly not against this, but at the same time, since this does mark a new beginning of sorts for the Daredevil property in live-action, there are some things that Born Again should change in order to provide a more comic book-y feel to Disney+ subscribers.
Show Matt’s Radar Sense More Often
When Matt Murdock was blinded by that toxic waste as a youth, in addition to his remaining four senses being heightened, he gained a radar sense that allows him to perceive all his surroundings and even “see” through walls. While the 2003 Daredevil movie frequently showed the radar sense at work, we only saw this special ability on display once across the Daredevil TV show’s three-season run and The Defenders miniseries. Such a visually-compelling power deserves another shot to shine on screen, so give Born Again the chance to put its own spin on Matt’s radar sense rather than keep being hidden from viewers’ eyes.
Put Matt In A More Faithful Daredevil Costume
While the crimson costume Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock finally donned at the end of Daredevil Season 1 was certainly a step up from the on Ben Affleck wore, it’s not as faithful to the character’s suit from the comics as I’d like it to be. While it was funny to see him don a yellow variation of this suit in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, it’d be nice if Cox’s Matt wore something that more closely resembles how he’s presented on the printed page. I’m not saying it needs to be skintight or even as bright a shade of red, but at the very least, let’s tone down the tactical aspect and make it look more like a proper superhero suit.
Include More Fantastical Villains
While there were fantastical elements on display in Netflix’s Daredevil, most notably with the inclusion of The Hand in Seasons 1 and 2, for the most part, this was a show that was grounded in more ‘heightened reality’ territory. Daredevil: Born Again should lean as much into the fantastical as possible. Give us a version of The Owl who glides and has razor-sharp fangs and talons. Pit Daredevil against Stilt-Man, albeit not as a leading antagonist. Bring in Mr. Fear to terrorize innocents. Obviously Born Again will never go deep into magical or cosmic territory as things like Doctor Strange or The Marvels, but that’s no reason to shy away from the Daredevil property’s more outlandish elements.
Give Matt More Lighthearted Moments
Thanks to stellar runs from writers like Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker and Chip Zdarsky, as well as the Daredevil movie and earlier TV show, there’s been a misconception that you can only delve into this character through a dark filter, but that’s not true. Even ignoring She-Hulk, the character came about in the Silver Age of Comics, when things were more lighthearted, and Mark Waid’s run on the character provided a similar vibe. Netflix’s Daredevil did delivered a handful of lighter moments, particularly between Matt and Foggy, and while I don’t mind Born Again exploring darker story beats, I’m also hoping it isn’t quite as depressing as its predecessor. Let’s give Matt a little bit more joy in his life.
Include Tighter Ties To The MCU
Marvel’s Netflix shows only had the loosest of ties to deeper MCU lore, and as indicated earlier, at this point, we shouldn’t consider them to take place within the main canon. This won’t be an issue with Daredevil: Born Again, though like Echo, I won’t be surprised if it’s stamped with a Marvel Spotlight banner, which is for mature projects that aren’t meant to impact the larger MCU narrative in major ways. Nevertheless, I would like to see Born Again establish tighter ties to the MCU beyond just Matt’s time spent with Jennifer Walters, ranging from actually mentioning Avengers characters by name to bringing in people from other corners of this franchise. I’d specifically love to see him and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man team up, although I’d be just as content if that happened in the latter’s fourth standalone movie.
Finally Give Us A Proper Bullseye
Although Daredevil Season 3 finally brought in Benjamin Poindexter, a.k.a. Bullseye, the only things he and his comic book counterpart had in common was their pinpoint accuracy and working for Kingpin. Say what you will about Colin Farrell’s Bullseye, but at least he was a full-fledged supervillain who had his own costume rather than donning a replica of Daredevil’s. If Born Again includes Bullseye, and I think there’s a strong chance of that happening given Kingpin’s presence, we need to suit him up in something that looks like what he wears in the comics and give him more of a malevolent flair.
Since Daredevil: Born Again will no longer meet its originally-planned early 2024 release window, it may be a while until we learn any more specific details about what the show has in store for audiences, including if any of my above wishes are granted. Still, hopefully those in charge find a good balance between including elements of what made the original Daredevil series so popular (my fingers are crossed that Karen Page and Foggy Nelson come back), while also taking steps to ensure that Born Again feels like a unique offering that thrives in the official MCU space.
