In 2015, Netflix and Marvel partnered for a new breed of superhero television, one increasingly darker and more mature than anything we'd seen previously. Arrow, which had been praised by fans and critics for its incredible stunt work and choreography, had nothing on Daredevil, and the Marvel/Netflix series was only the springboard for a larger universe, or at least a small part of an already established one. With occasional references to The Avengers and the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil and the other Defenders cut out their own little dark corner of the universe and made it their own. In fact, Daredevil did so well that it even launched a Punisher spin-off centered around Frank Castle's (Jon Bernthal) quest post-Daredevil Season 2. But regardless of how big the Marvel/Netflix universe got, it wasn't meant to last.
Although Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Daredevil would all be cancelled, fans had come to love Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin, defining them as the definitive portrayals of the characters. This would eventually lead to Cox's return as Murdock briefly in Spider-Man: No Way Home and in a new Daredevil suit in the current She-Hulk: Attorney at Law series. Similarly, the Kingpin returned as well, though in a larger "big bad" role in the Hawkeye series. Both Daredevil and Kingpin are also set to show up on the Echo spin-off as well. Needless to say, these characters haven't gone to waste, even if their series ended before its time. Now that Kevin Feige and company have announced the upcoming 18-episode Daredevil: Born Again series, there are a few things we need to see addressed.
Does the Daredevil/Kingpin Rivalry Continue?
Although they've both officially appeared in the MCU at this point, we have yet to see Daredevil and Kingpin interact in anything outside the original Netflix series. While it's unclear whether Daredevil will still be canon within the world of Born Again, there's no doubt that the rivalry between Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock will remain as strong as ever. Their respective roles in Frank Miller's original "Born Again" story arc are paramount to their comic book histories, which means that this series will continue to explore the conflict between them.
Part of what made Netflix's Daredevil series so interesting initially was the conspiracy surrounding Wilson Fisk, with the third season — itself partially based on Miller's "Born Again" story — returning to form by reintroducing the Kingpin into Matt's life with a new knowledge of his secret identity, just like in the comic book story. Truly, Daredevil worked largely because Cox's Daredevil had such a strong nemesis in D'Onofrio's Fisk, and we can only hope to see that thread continue in Born Again. Plus, if the new series is still tied to the original, that means Kingpin still knows Matt's secret.
Are Nelson & Murdock Still the Best Legal Team in Hell's Kitchen?
Without Matt Murdock, there is no Daredevil, and part of the character's charm (besides his dashing good looks) is that he's a hero both in and out of costume. As a blind lawyer, Murdock has fully committed himself to the people of Hell's Kitchen, hoping to make his neighborhood a better place. Naturally, he can't do this alone, and often his best pal Foggy Nelson (played on the Netflix series by Elden Henson) stands by his side to fight for those who can't fight for themselves.
Foggy was one of Matt's greatest assets in Netflix's Daredevil, and without his best friend by his side he often loses himself to his identity as the Guardian Devil. In fact, entire seasons of Daredevil told the familiar story of Matt losing himself to Daredevil like an adrenaline junkie, with Foggy constantly hoping to pull his friend back to reality. If Daredevil is truly to be "born again" into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then he must do so alongside his most faithful friend.
How Will Karen Page Factor Into the Story?
A huge part of the original "Born Again" story, it was Karen Page who, in a dark twist, sold Matt Murdock's secret identity as Daredevil to Wilson Fisk to keep up her drug habit. Although things work out for Matt and Karen by the end of the story, their love wasn't exactly meant to last — you can blame Kevin Smith's "Guardian Devil" for that. Honestly, the Marvel comics have done something of a disservice to Karen Page, something the Netflix series would eventually rectify.
Played by Deborah Ann Woll in the Netflix show, Karen Page goes from Nelson & Murdock receptionist to investigative journalist to something of an amateur lawyer herself by the show's end, rounding the character out into someone much more interesting (and stable) than her comic book counterpart. There's no denying that we'd love to see this version of Karen again, and seeing as how central she is to the "Born Again" story, we hope to get some sort of follow up for Woll's version of the character.
How Did Kingpin Rise to Power?
In the Hawkeye series, Kingpin was revealed to be a big-time leader of a New York criminal syndicate. Armed with a gang of Tracksuits behind him, he fought against the Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Kate Bishop (Haylee Steinfeld) incarnations of the Avengers' favorite archer. During this face-off, Fisk actively threw our heroes across the room and picked them up like they were cardboard. This is a vast departure from the more grounded version from Daredevil, and sparks plenty of questions about how this was even possible.
Of course, Kingpin's rise to power in the MCU is something we'd love to see more of in Daredevil: Born Again, with a better understanding of how he went from being sent back to prison to leading various NYC gangs and criminal enterprises. Of course, this completely hinges on the Netflix series and the Disney+ series being related beyond a similar cast of characters. If the series isn't connected, we'd love to learn how Wilson Fisk made his fortune, and why he's so strong.
How Did the Blip Affect Hell's Kitchen?
Something that has yet to be really explored throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe are the lasting affects of the Blip as seen in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. As the Avengers and their allies battled the mad titan Thanos (Josh Brolin) for the fate of the universe, our heroes initially lost, which caused the deaths of countless people across the galaxy. While the effects of the Blip were briefly mentioned in Spider-Man: Far From Home and WandaVision, the consequences have yet to be further explored much beyond The Infinity Saga.
The loss of half the universe, only to regain everyone back again five years later, no doubt had a troubling effect on Hell's Kitchen, and possibly on Matt Murdock's personal life as well. Was Daredevil blipped? Is this vacuum what allowed Kingpin to regain his power? Did Hell's Kitchen fall into further darkness during this time, or did the people band together and rise above their circumstances? There are so many possibilities to be explored!
What Was Bullseye's Fate?
The third season of the famed Netflix series introduced a character named Benjamin "Dex" Pointdexter (Wilson Bethel), who was used by Fisk to frame Daredevil for murder, much like in the original "Born Again" storyline (though, that featured a fanatic supersoldier named Nuke as the fake Daredevil). Based on one of the Man Without Fear's archnemeses Bullseye, Dex showed potential to eventually become the infamous Marvel assassin in potential future seasons of the Netflix show. Well, at least until it was cancelled... Still, Dex was a highlight of the show's third season, even if his fate was left unresolved.
With a Thunderbolts film in development now, it seems likely that Bullseye will eventually make an official appearance in the MCU since he's traditionally been a part of Marvel's Suicide Squad ripoff. Although he doesn't appear in the original "Born Again" comic book, there's no reason the character couldn't make his debut here, especially given that he's a fan favorite. We've also never seen a fully comics-accurate version of the character in live-action (though Colin Farrell wasn't too bad), making Daredevil: Born Again the perfect place to introduce one.
Will Matt's Struggle With Faith Continue?
A Daredevil trademark is Matt Murdock's rocky Roman Catholic faith, which remains a consistent part of his life even when he struggles to see God's plan. Ultimately chalking up his condition to God's will, and his work as Daredevil to being in God's service, Matt is a man driven by a mixture of personal and religious conviction. Much like Moon Knight, which dives deep into Egyptian mythology, the Netflix Daredevil series spent the entire third season restoring Matt's faith after nearly losing his life.
With a title like Daredevil: Born Again, there's bound to be some references to the Guardian Devil's particular brand of Christianity, not to mention his struggle to balance his faith amidst his vigilante career. Still, faith is part of why Matt Murdock is Daredevil, and it would be a grave injustice to tell a Daredevil story without some reference to his religion and/or his genuine struggle with conserving his trust in God due to his hellish circumstances.
How Will Daredevil: Born Again Connect to the Other Netflix Shows?
The biggest unanswered question everyone has about Daredevil: Born Again is whether or not the new Disney+ series is a continuation of the Netflix Daredevil series or its own thing entirely. If it is a continuation, it would mean that shows like Jessica Jones, The Punisher, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, not to mention the team-up series The Defenders, would all then officially exist within the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon rather than what happened with Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..
Of course, there's no guarantee that Born Again will exist within the same continuity as the Netflix series, even with Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio reprising their respective roles in the Disney+ series. But one can hope that this is the same Daredevil that we got to know and love for years before he showed up in No Way Home. Regardless, Daredevil: Born Again is one of the most anticipated projects on Marvel Studios' docket, and the return of the Man Without Fear to our television screens is sure to be well worth the wait!