Daredevil: Born Again’s newest character creates a big problem for the MCU
Opinion: a punishing blow for Daredevil’s MCU canonicity?
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Just when we thought Daredevil’s Netflix series wascanonin theMarvelCinematic Universe (MCU), a new report has cast doubt on those claims.
How so? According toThe Hollywood Reporter(THR),Daredevil: Born Again– the superhero’s forthcoming MCU TV series – has reportedly added Jon Bernthal to its casting ranks. Bernthal, who played Frank Castle/The Punisher inNetflix’s Defenders-Verse, is due to reprise his role as the bloodthirsty vigilante in Daredevil’sDisney Plusshow, which is slated to arrive in late 2024.
We previously reported that Bernthal was coming to the MCUas part ofMarvel Phase 5, so we’re delighted to see thatThe Walking Deadalumnus is gearing up to play the fan-favorite character again.
Pleasing as Bernthal’s return is, though, it raises big questions about how Netflix’s Defenders-Verse is being incorporated into the MCU (if at all); whether the MCU’s Daredevil is the same one we’ve seen before; and what this all means forMarvelif it decides to integrate other non-MCU TV shows into its colossal cinematic universe.
Let’s start with Daredevil’s MCU canonicity. Marvel announced that a Daredevil MCU TV show was in development during itsComic-Con panel in July 2022, confirming that Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio would reprise their roles as Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Wilson Fisk from Netflix’s Marvel TV universe.
Immediately, fans began theorizing if the pair would be the same characters we saw in Netflix’sDaredevilTV show. Following their cameo and supporting roles inSpider-Man: No Way HomeandHawkeye, viewers were none the wiser as to whether this was the case.
However, Daredevil’s supporting role inShe-Hulk: Attorney at Lawappeared to confirm that this iteration of the superhero was the same one we’d seen in Netflix’sDaredevilseries. It wasShe-Hulkepisode 8that all but confirmed Daredevil’s Netflix series was canon in the MCU, which seemingly put an end to the confusion.
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The return of Bernthal’s Punisher, though, casts doubt on that. For starters, The Punisher is a far more violent character than Daredevil, doling out deadly ahem punishment by the blood-filled bucketload in the comics and in his recent live-action appearances.
If the MCU’s Punisher is the same version as the one Bernthal portrayed inDaredevilseason 2 and his standalone series on Netflix, Marvel will have to rein in his brutality, which reduces his effectiveness as a juxtaposed character to Daredevil.
Charlie Cox exclusively told TechRadar thatDaredevil: Born Againwon’t be fully R-rated, so it won’t be as violent as Netflix’sDaredevilseries was anyway. Even so, the best part of Bernthal’s Punisher was his raw, uncompromising, and vicious crusade against the criminal underworld. Removing that R-rated aspect from the character dilutes him down and, in the eyes of some fans, might make The Punisher too Disney-fied to be viewed as the same individual we’ve seen before.
Then there’s the other elephant in the room: the absence of Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson and Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page.
Daredevilseason 3 ended with Foggy, Page, and Murdock teaming up once more to form a new law firm called Murdock, Nelson, and Page. However, THR suggests that Woll and Henson haven’t been asked to return as their characters forBorn Again, noting that it’s unclear if they’ve been recast or aren’t part of the series at all.
If the MCU’s Daredevil, Fisk, and The Punisher are the same character iterations from Netflix’sDaredevil, would it not make sense to bring Matt Murdock’s business partners – not to mention extremely loyal friends – back? Foggy and Page are as integral to Daredevil’s comic book and live-action journeys as anyone else, if not more so.
Sidelining these characters – particularly the versions played with such emotional gravitas by Woll and Henson – forBorn Againindicates that Daredevil’s Netflix show might not be completely canon in the MCU after all. Equally, it posits the question as to whetherBorn Againwould address their absence. If it doesn’t, audiences may see this as Marvel simply picking and choosing what elements it wants to carry over from Netflix’s TV adaptation.
The studio has previous form for cherrypicking what content and characters carry over from its non-MCU productions, too.
Agent Carter, a Marvel TV show that aired on ABC and was set afterCaptain America: The First Avenger, isn’t technically an MCU project. However, Marvel took bits and pieces of that show, such as Howard Stark’s butler Edwin Jarvis, and incorporated them intoAvengers: Endgame. Anson Mount reprised his role as Black Bolt from another ABC Marvel show –Inhumans– inDoctor Strange 2, albeit in a cameo capacity.
Lastly, there’s speculation that Chloe Bennet’s Daisy Johnson/Quake, first seen in ABC’sAgents of SHIELD, will appear inSecret Invasionlater this year. Marvel’s decision to include certain characters and subplots from non-MCU projects in its cinematic universe, then, only muddies the waters further over what’s canon.
Unlike its sibling shows, though, it seemed that Daredevil’s Netflix series was being fully incorporated into the MCU. The inclusion of The Punisher, plus the distinct lack of other key characters from Netflix’s TV adaptation, suggests this may no longer be the case.
Of course, there’s still time for the pendulum to swing in the opposite direction. Marvel has already confirmed thatDeadpool 3will be its first fully R-rated movie, so there’s always the potential thatBorn Againcould be the first TV-MA/18-plus MCU TV series. Page and Henson could also appear in cameo roles, too, despite what THR reported.
Marvel, Cox, and company might simply be trying to throw us all off the scent in a bid to preserve some surprises for when the show begins airing. In an era where fans are ravenous for every morsel of information about forthcoming Marvel projects, holding those secrets back until launch date would make for a welcome change.
Right now, though, it seems a single character’s return has blown our theories – about Netflix’sDaredevilbeing canon in the MCU – out of the water. With principal photography on the series due to begin shortly, here’s hoping Marvel provides confirmation as to whetherBorn Againis a full continuation of Netflix’s TV series.
For more Marvel coverage, find outhow to watch the Marvel movies in order. Additionally, see which MCU TV series made it onto ourbest Disney Plus showslist andhow we’ve ranked every Marvel movieso far.
As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
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