Daredevil: Born Again plot is teased by Echo’s post-credits scene

Daredevil, a fan favorite series, was discontinued after Disney acquired all of Marvel’s Netflix titles. Although three seasons of this dark, violent thriller are available on Disney+, additional series appeared out of the question.

However, at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, Disney announced the series’ big return. Daredevil, the Hell’s Kitchen superhero, will return in a new series named Daredevil: Born Again. However, after the announcement, things have grown far more difficult.

Learn what to anticipate from the new Daredevil series on Disney+.

Daredevil: Born Again release date

According to the United States Copyright Office (as reported by Slash Film), Daredevil: Born Again will premiere on Disney+ in early 2025. Marvel has yet to confirm this, though.

This release date has shifted around a lot. Daredevil: Born Again was previously expected to launch on Disney+ in spring 2024. However, in May 2023, the Writers Guild of America went on strike, and in July, the actors’ union joined them. As a result, the series’ production has been halted until the strikes end in the fall of 2023.

As if that weren’t enough, it was revealed on October 8, 2023, that writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman, as well as the show’s directors, had been let go. According to The Hollywood Reporter, filming was suspended after less than half of the series had been shot. The tape was shown to Kevin Feige, and the results were so poor that the CEO of Marvel Studios decided to completely overhaul the squad.

The Hollywood Reporter later reported that Dario Scardapane (known for Jack Ryan and Punisher) will serve as the series’ new showrunner, with Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead directing – the duo previously collaborated on Loki season 2. Hopefully, now that the creative team is in place, filming will commence shortly.

Daredevil: Born Again plot

The post-credits sequence in Echo reveals that Daredevil: Born Again will adapt a Kingpin arc from the comics.

At the end of Maya Lopez’s novel, we find Wilson Fisk watching the New York mayoral elections on television and noting that a suitable candidate has yet to emerge – that the public needs a “bare-knuckles brawler”.

If Fisk enters and wins, Mayor Kingpin might be a major issue for superheroes. In the comics, he criminalizes vigilantism in New York City. Matt Murdock would almost probably be the first to feel the heat, but this may have far-reaching consequences for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, affecting individuals like Peter Parker and Kate Bishop.

When the series was initially announced, it was unclear if the Disney project should be considered season 4 of the original series or a whole new program. MCU executive producer Brad Winderbaum told Screen Rant in January that he considered the Netflix programs to be official canon, saying the following:

…now that some time has passed; now that we see actually how well integrated the stories are, I think that I personally, Brad Winderbaum, would be confident in saying it is part of the Sacred Timeline

With that in mind, Daredevil: Born Again should be seen as a continuation of the story told by Netflix, and not a straight reboot.

There are also concerns that the series would have a different mood than Daredevil, which was known for its brutal, neo-noir take to the source material. This was exacerbated by Kingpin’s portrayal in Hawkeye, which caused many fans to be concerned.

That being said, Echo seems to inherit the grittier and more adult tone established by the Netflix programs, so there is yet potential. Furthermore, Scardapane’s work on Punisher will very probably have an impact on Born Again’s aesthetic.

The title of the episode alludes to Daredevil’s long-awaited comeback, but it also has comic book roots. Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli created Born Again, a 1986 comic book that was eventually released as an extended graphic novel. However, it seems doubtful that Disney’s series would be based on this issue, considering the most of the events in the comic were incorporated into season 3 of Netflix’s Daredevil.

The Disney version of Matt Murdock made a brief appearance in She-Hulk. However, it is unclear whether Jennifer Walters will make a cameo appearance in Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again cast

Charlie Cox will return to the role of Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil – the studio has no plans to replace the actor. It has also been confirmed that Vincent D’Onofrio will again star as Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin. Jon Bernthal, who once played the role of the Punisher, has also joined the cast.

The comeback of these actors is hardly surprising – their roles were well received by fans and critics at a time when series about Matt Murdock and the Punisher were available on Netflix.

Margarita Levieva is also on the cast list. Levieva may portray Matt Murdock’s new girlfriend, as many fans assume. The actress has appeared in several films, including The Times Square Chronicles, The Lincoln Lawyer, Invisible, and From the Cold Zone. She will also star in the upcoming Star Wars series The Acolyte.

Sandrine Holt, known for her roles in MacGyver, House of Cards, Mr. Robot, Better Call Saul, and American Gigolo, will also star in the series. Rumours suggest that she may play Fisk’s love interest.

Michael Gandolfini, who you might recognize from The Many Saints of Newark, will also feature in the show.

Most excitingly, Marvel tipster The InSneider reports that Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll will return as Foggy and Karen Page, respectively.

It is presently uncertain if we will see the return of Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, because she departed Fisk for good at the conclusion of Echo.