Daredevil: Born Again: key information
– Set to be released in March 2025
– Pseudo-sequel to Netflix’s Daredevil TV show
– First trailer debuted exclusively at D23 Expo 2024
– Main cast set to reprise roles from Netflix’s TV adaptation
– Other cast members reportedly revealed
– Few plot details publicly unveiled
– Season 2 will start filming “soon”
– Unclear how it’ll impact the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe
The devil’s work is never done – and Daredevil: Born Again proves it. The pseudo-sequel to Netflix‘s acclaimed Daredevil TV show, which ran for three seasons before being canceled in 2018, is one of many people’s most anticipated Marvel projects.
And with good reason. Not only will Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock/Daredevil star in his first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) show after cameoing in other Marvel movies and Disney Plus series, but other beloved characters – and their actors – from Netflix’s adaptation are also back. Oh, and Born Again will respect its Netflix predecessor’s gritty and gory nature. Color us excited.
Ahead of Daredevil: Born Again‘s arrival, we thought it was time to round up all the news and speculation we could find. In this guide, you’ll learn more about its release month, confirmed cast, potential storylines, and more. Full spoilers follow for Netflix’s Daredevil series alongside potential spoilers for its Marvel Phase 5 spiritual successor.
Daredevil: Born Again release date prediction
Daredevil: Born Again doesn’t have an official release date, but Marvel has confirmed its rebooted Daredevil series will launch in March 2025. It’ll likely debut with a two-episode premiere, with many recent MCU Disney Plus shows doing likewise.
It’s possible that Born Again could join Echo, one of three MCU projects that Daredevil has appeared in, in being released in full whenever it launches. However, with Born Again set to comprise 12 episodes – seven more than Echo had – it’s highly unlikely they’ll all arrive on the same day.
Anyway, what date do we think Daredevil‘s MCU TV series will be released in March? We don’t know what Disney Plus’ 2025 schedule looks like yet. However, with Captain America: Brave New World – one of Marvel’s three new movies out next year – flying into theaters on February 14, we suspect Marvel will want to give the Anthony Mackie-led vehicle some breathing room before Born Again is released. So, we don’t believe Daredevil: Born Again will arrive before March 18 or 19.
Daredevil: Born Again trailer: is there one?
No, there isn’t. We aren’t expecting one soon, either, especially as the show is – at the time of publication – seven months away from landing on Disney Plus, aka one of the world’s best streaming services.
A teaser was shown exclusively to D23 Expo 2024 attendees in mid-August but, unless it leaks online and Marvel has no choice but to publicly release it, we won’t see any footage for a while. Our guess? A teaser will be posted online sometime in December as Marvel starts to ramp up Born Again‘s marketing campaign.
Daredevil: Born Again cast: confirmed and rumored
Potential spoilers follow for Daredevil: Born Again.
Here’s the confirmed cast for Daredevil: Born Again so far:
- Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil
- Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin
- Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page
- Elden Henson as Franklin ‘Foggy’ Nelson
- Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher
- Wilson Bethel as Benjamin ‘Dex’ Pointdexter/Bullseye
The first five actors are confirmed to be reprising their roles from Netflix’s live-action series, with Marvel wheeling them out on stage at D23 Expo 2024. Until late January, only Cox and D’Onofrio were expected to make the leap to Disney Plus. After all, they’re the only two actors from the Netflix show who have appeared in the MCU so far.
However, when a bunch of Born Again images confirmed the return of two fan-favorite characters – Woll’s Karen and Henson’s Foggy – and, days later, Bernthal’s Castle, the trio were all but confirmed to feature. Bethel was also revealed to be returning in some leaked Born Again footage that had fans fearing for the fate of a beloved character in February. Bullseye is also reportedly glimpsed, albeit briefly, in the D23 Expo trailer.
📸 | Ayelet Zurer reprises her role as Vanessa Mariana alongside Vincent D’onofrio filming Daredevil: Born Againvia: stevesandsnyc pic.twitter.com/kkaRON5A2cApril 7, 2024
There are numerous rumors about other characters who’ll feature. For starters, Ayulet Zurer, who plays Fisk’s wife, Vanessa, is supposedly involved, with leaked images (as reported by Collider) showing her on set alongside D’Onofrio’s Fisk. The Wrap also claims that Mohan Kapur’s Yusuf Khan – yep, Kamala Khan/Ms Marvel’s father – will cameo in the show. This will mark his third MCU appearance after Ms Marvel and The Marvels.
On the cast additions front, Deadline claims Genneya Walton has been cast as B.B. Urich, the daughter of Ben Urich (murdered by Wilson Fisk in season 2 of Netflix’s Daredevil series) who’s followed in her father’s footsteps and become a journalist. Michael Gandolfini, Arty Froushan, and Margarite Leiveia were all snapped during the show’s extensive reshoots (as reported by CBR.com), but their character identities remain a mystery.
Other individuals expected to feature include Jeremy Earl as crooked police cop North Cole (per Inverse) and the late Kamar de los Reyes, who’ll seemingly play one of Daredevil’s fellow vigilantes named White Tiger (per Forbes). De los Reyes passed away last December from cancer, so this’ll be his final acting role.
Lastly, according to D23 attendees, Born Again‘s trailer appeared to confirm that Muse, a silent serial killer and recent addition to Daredevil’s rogues gallery in the comics, will be the series’ primary antagonist. It’s unclear which actor has been hired to portray them.
Daredevil: Born Again plot speculation
Full spoilers follow for Netflix’s Daredevil series and Echo on Disney Plus. Possible spoilers also follow for Daredevil: Born Again.
Daredevil: Born Again‘s story brief hasn’t been unveiled yet, but we have some concrete details, plus a host of rumors concerning its plot and character arcs.
First, a bit of background on its development: initially, Born Again wasn’t going to connect to its Netflix forebear at all, Marvel had decided a clean slate – even with Cox and D’Onofrio’s involvement – was necessary to bring Daredevil and Kingpin into the MCU. However, in October 2023, Daredevil: Born Again was said to be in serious trouble as Marvel looked to rework the entire show. Insiders suggested the Disney subsidiary was unhappy with its narrative direction and, with the 2023 Hollywood strikes in full force at the time, the comic giant took the chance to remodel large swathes of the show. That led to hiring a new head writer and directors that renewed our faith in Daredevil‘s reboot.
Elaborating on why the change was made, Marvel’s Head of TV and Streaming Brad Winderbaum told the Official Marvel Podcast (as reported by TechRadar): “Daredevil [:Born Again] is incredible. It’s similar in some ways to X-Men 97 because it’s reviving something that fans love, but it’s taking it in a new direction. These characters have matured [and] the universe is different than it was. Things have changed, society has changed, Matt [Murdock] and Wilson [Fisk] have changed, and their characters are going to collide in ways we’ve never seen before. It’s no longer enough to try and murder each other; there’s a whole game of politics at play.”
The decision to essentially turn Born Again into Daredevil season 4 (in all but name, anyway) is a sound one. Indeed, after She-Hulk episode 8 confirmed that Netflix’s Daredevil series was canon in the MCU, fans were baffled by the prospect of an MCU Daredevil TV show not having any connective tissue – outside of Cox’s Murdock and D’Onofrio’s Fisk – to its predecessor.
Thankfully, Born Again will now fully respect what’s come before, pick up loose plot threads from Daredevil‘s third and final season, and go harder in the violence stakes than initially planned. Speaking to TechRadar in December 2022 – 10 months before Daredevil: Born Again‘s creative overhaul – Cox revealed that Marvel’s reboot wasn’t going to be fully R-rated. However, in conversation with Rotten Tomatoes at D23 Expo 2024 (see the X/Twitter post below), D’Onofrio hinted that the ultraviolence “will go further” than the Netflix TV Original.
Vincent D’Onofrio teases what violence fans can expect to see in the upcoming #DaredevilBornAgain series. pic.twitter.com/6YW15zzfj4August 11, 2024
Okay, so what will Born Again‘s story actually entail? The one thing we know that’s going to happen is Fisk will be running for New York mayor. In Echo‘s final episode, the titular character uses her superpowers to try to cure her surrogate father’s trauma and anger. Equal parts confused and enraged by what she’d done to him, the bewildered crime boss flees the scene before the police arrive. Later, in a mid-credits scene, we see a still shaken Fisk watching a news report – on his private jet – about a lack of genuine options for people to vote for ahead of the New York mayoral elections.
If Fisk wins the election in the show’s first episode (or, by the time Born Again starts, he’s already been installed as the city’s new mayor), one of two things could play out. One option is, if he’s a changed man after the events in Echo‘s finale, he may surprisingly start working with superhumans (Murdock/Daredevil included) to tackle the city’s criminal enterprises. Alternatively, given what his adoptive daughter Maya did to him in Echo episode 5, he could double down on his hatred for superpowered individuals and vigilantes, and use his new governmental powers to clamp down on, or even eradicate, self-appointed law enforcers like Daredevil and Frank Castle.
Charlie Cox and Jon Bernthal on the set of ‘DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN’ pic.twitter.com/AqJAEFlMmJApril 3, 2024
Whatever path Fisk walks, someone won’t be happy. It could be crooked police officer North Cole, who starts using Castle/The Punisher’s skull-based symbol to enact justice in his own manner. It might be Castle himself, who becomes infuriated by those cops using his symbol to serve justice without his consent. It may be Castle and Murdock if Fisk decides to use the police to crack down on vigilantism. Heck, it could even be Bullseye – you know, provided he fully recovers from spinal injuries inflicted by Daredevil in the Netflix show’s season 3 finale. He knows that the easiest way to hurt Murdock is to go after Page and/or Nelson, so we might see one of them get seriously injured or even die in Born Again. As we mentioned in our cast section, Marvel fans are already worried about the duo’s welfare, so don’t bet against something like this happening.
There are bound to be other references to Daredevil’s first live-action show as well as new storylines and personal arcs that impact Born Again‘s characters. Unsurprisingly, the cast is reluctant to reveal too much for fear of spoiling anything significant. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, though, Bernthal teased: “[There are] enormous leaps [with the plot and development of our characters], and not in a spoon-fed, candy-ass way. If there were things that were much different, they wouldn’t just be different and you were sort of forced to accept that. It was done for a reason and very intentional. It wasn’t just huge jumps. I do continue to be blown away by how respectful this group [is] and how much these folks who lead this show demand that we’re respectful to the fans”. If the frank (see what we did there?) Bernthal claims this is the case, we’re inclined to believe him.
What to watch while you wait for Daredevil: Born Again
Looking to pass the time before Daredevil: Born Again arrives? Or do you want an idea of how Marvel will lean into one of the best Netflix shows‘ ultraviolence? Then you’ll want to watch these series:
Daredevil
Tom Power
I’ll admit this is an obvious recommendation to include, but the best way to prepare for Daredevil: Born Again is to watch its Netflix forebear. Now available to stream on Disney Plus worldwide, it’s clear to see why Daredevil is a shoo-in on our best Disney Plus shows list, even though it was originally developed for one of its streaming rivals. From powerhouse acting performances and unashamed hardcore violence to reams of melodrama and a grounded, gritty vibe and aesthetic, you’ll be engrossed from minute one. An utterly terrific show that doesn’t diminish in quality throughout its three-season run.
Echo
Tom Power
An offshoot to 2021’s Hawkeye, this Alaqua Cox-fronted series was Marvel Studios’ first real foray into R-rated TV storytelling. It’s certainly worth checking out, then, not only to gain an insight into how violent Born Again will be, but also because some of its narrative threads set up what’s to come in Daredevil‘s standalone MCU series. That makes it required viewing, in my opinion. With just five episodes, Echo is a somewhat enjoyable miniseries you can work through in a single sitting.
Werewolf by Night
Tom Power
Okay, this was technically Marvel Studios’ first attempt at making a more mature MCU offering. Sure, Moon Knight started to push the boundaries of the MCU’s family-friendly appeal, but Werewolf by Night stepped things up a notch, especially with its horror-fueled narrative and largely off-screen goriness. It’s not a TV-MA/18-plus-rated TV special, but it’s definitely not suitable for kids. So, again, if you want an idea of the kind of brutality we’ll see in Born Again early next year, this throwback to monster movies of old is absolutely worth a watch.
How will Daredevil: Born Again impact the MCU?
We’re not sure yet. Sixteen years after it began with Iron Man, the MCU has become a sprawling, interwoven, and, at times, unwieldy beast where one movie or TV show can affect the narrative in multiple future projects.
That was the case, anyway, until Marvel started to realize that the MCU’s biggest strength – its interconnectivity – had become a millstone around its neck. Indeed, with viewers being forced to watch numerous TV shows to understand what’s going on in a forthcoming film – for instance, ahead of The Marvels, people needed to see Ms. Marvel, WandaVision, and Secret Invasion – the comic giant has begun tweaking its creative approach regarding its cinematic universe.
To that end, Marvel now says that new Disney Plus shows will be easier to jump into, meaning fans can simply enjoy a show like Daredevil: Born Again without having to “do homework” by streaming other productions first. As we said, then, it’s unclear how, or even if, Born Again will set up future non-Daredevil MCU movies and/or TV shows.
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Trailer Shows Wilson Fisk & Matt Murdock Going Head-To-Head; Season 2 Shooting Soon – D23 https://t.co/j1kOlOE5YNAugust 10, 2024
Why do we say “non-Daredevil”? Because Born Again season 2 is already in the works. Rumors circulated online that a sophomore season was in development as early as March 2023, but it wasn’t until D23 Expo 2024 that Marvel president Kevin Feige confirmed season 2 would start “shooting soon”.
If Daredevil: Born Again is a success – and, given how beloved its Netflix forebear is, there’s no reason to suggest it won’t be – it’s possible it’ll be the true precursor to a smaller, street-level corner of the MCU being born. Sure, the likes of Hawkeye and Echo have already somewhat established it, but Marvel’s Daredevil reboot could be the jet fuel that ignites the fanbase’s interest in a grittier, more hard-hitting portion of the MCU. And hey, if Marvel wants to bring this particular part of its sandbox to the big screen, we wouldn’t say no to a Daredevil team-up with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man as they bid to take down a common foe in Kingpin. Make it happen, Marvel.
For more Marvel-based coverage, read our guides on how to watch the Marvel movies in order, the best Marvel movies, Agatha All Along, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
