Daredevil: Born Againwas going to be a much different beast before the writers' strike changed everything. No one in the industry wants to go back to that uncertain time, but in the case of the upcoming Disney+ series, it ended up being a blessing in disguise because it allowed the creatives to see that the newDaredevilseries was going completely in the wrong direction. As it turns out, starCharlie Cox, despite being enthusiastic about returning as the titular character, wasn’t completely on board with the previous direction of the series either.
During a chat withGQ, Cox opened up about the original plans for the series, which didn’t have many direct ties to the previous Netflix show beyond the inclusion of Cox and his co-star, Vincent D’Onofrio. Even though both performers were happy to be back playing characters they loved,Cox admits they both had to keep an open mind about where the series was headed despite not being 100% sure about its creative direction.
“The thinking was, well, we don’t want to do the same thing. We’ve done that. Vincent and I were both not 100 percent convinced what we were doing at the time was the right path, but we’re both good soldiers and professionals, and we were trying to be open-minded.”
The original concept forDaredevil: Born Againwas to give it a lighter tone and an episodic structure that would’ve made it decidedly different from the Netflix series. Filming began in March 2023, but it was suspended in June at the start of the Writers Guild of America Strike. During that time, the head honchos took a look at what was shot and realized it wasn’t working. Marvel Studios decided tocompletely overhaul the seriesand released headwriters Matt Corman and Chris Ord, as well as the initial directors that had helmed several episodes. Dario Scardpane, Justin Benson, and Aaron Moorhead were then hired tomake the show more serializedand more connected to the Netflix series.
The Writers' Strike Was a Blessing in Disguise For ‘Daredevil: Born Again’
The break during the writers' strike proved to be a vital turning point for the direction ofDaredevil: Born Again. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are at least thankful that it allowed Marvel Studios to see what wasn’t working and make them realize thatconnecting to the popular Netflix iterationwould be the best idea. Cox said,“The writers' strike happened, then the actors' strike, which gave the producers an opportunity to look at our episodes and decide it wasn’t quite working.“In the same interview, D’Onofrio also added,“We made it known that we were not happy, and the big bosses, especially Kevin [Feige], listened to us.”
‘Daredevil’ Star Charlie Cox Would Love To Appear in an Upcoming ‘Avengers’ Sequel
The star of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ agrees with Marvel fans: It’s time for the Man Without Fear to make the jump to the big screen.
As it is now,Daredevil: Born Againis a revival and continuation of the original show, and it follows Matt Murdock (Cox) as hecontinues his fight against injusticeas a blind lawyer by day and as his vigilante alter ego, Daredevil, by night. Also returning is former crime boss Wilson Fisk (D’Onofrio), who is pursuing a campaign to become the mayor of New York City, which will make their past lives collide in a big way. The supporting cast includes Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Zabryna Guevara, Nikki M. James, Genneya Walton, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Michael Gandolfini, Ayelet Zurer, Jon Bernthal and Wilson Bethel.
It’s good to see that the series became what it should’ve been and, oddly enough, it has the event that stopped the industry for a while to thank for that. That twist of fate isn’t lost on Cox, as he concludes by saying,"[Daredevil: Born Again] feels much more in keeping with the kind of stuff we did at Netflix. In a bizarre twist of fate, the strikes that were so terrible for so many people in the industry ended up being the best thing that happened for our particular show.”
Daredevil: Born Again
