Daredevil: Born Again will bring back several iconic Marvel characters, as well as bring new actors into the world of the MCU. After the cancelation of Marvel Television’s Netflix series in 2019, the fate of the Defenders and Netflix’s stories hung in the balance. However, it was reported in March 2022 that a Daredevil reboot would be developed for Marvel Studios, with Matt Corman and Chris Ord attached to write and produce the Disney+ series. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige confirmed the development of Daredevil: Born Again at 2022’s SDCC, gifting the upcoming MCU release a monumental 18-episode first season.
Under the working title “Out the Kitchen,” Born Again will see the return of a select few actors from Marvel Television’s Netflix shows, two of which have already appeared in the MCU timeline via projects such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, Hawkeye, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. As the vigilante protector of Hell’s Kitchen, Daredevil will find himself going up against Kingpin in his massive Disney+ series, now firmly set within the world of the MCU.
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Last Seen In Echo
English actor Charlie Cox originally debuted as Matt Murdock in 2015’s Daredevil on Netflix, reprising the role for Netflix’s crossover event, The Defenders, in 2017. Thanks to his stellar performance as the Marvel hero, it became difficult to picture anyone else assuming the role for the reboot, but Cox was confirmed to be portraying the MCU’s version of Murdock following a surprise appearance in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. After reprising the role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Cox is set to appear in Echo and Spider-Man: Freshman Year, voicing his animated counterpart, before taking center-stage in Daredevil: Born Again.
Several changes have been made to this version of Daredevil, which differentiate him from his Netflix roots. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law showed off a more comedic side to Daredevil and even saw the hero sporting a brand-new gold and red suit, created by fashion designer Luke Jacobson instead of Daredevil’s Melvin Potter. Though the question of the Marvel Television series’ canonicity to the MCU remains unanswered, Daredevil: Born Again is set to put a different spin on the iconic character and his story while also drawing from the Netflix series, hopefully creating an authentic feeling successor to the original series.
Vincent D’Onofrio As Wilson Fisk, A.K.A. Kingpin
Last Seen In Echo
Much like Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio was revealed to be reprising his role from Daredevil during the MCU’s Phase 4, making his debut appearance in Hawkeye as the man behind the Tracksuit Mafia and surrogate uncle to Maya Lopez, a.k.a. Echo. Kingpin’s MCU role was expanded with the Echo solo series, which detailed more of the protagonist’s history with the Marvel villain, and the Echo ending post-credits scene concluded with the suggestion that Wilson Fisk would be running for New York City mayor.
It was teased during Marvel Studios’ SDCC presentation in 2022 that Daredevil: Born Again would see Cox and D’Onofrio share the limelight, so the dynamic between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin, is set to be explored in greater detail. It’s unclear whether Fisk already has the full Netflix show knowledge of Daredevil or whether Marvel Studios is starting more from scratch in Born Again, but D’Onofrio’s return as the looming villain is incredibly exciting.
Jon Bernthal As Frank Castle, A.K.A. The Punisher
Last Seen In The Punisher Season 2
After Cox and D’Onofrio were confirmed to be reprising their Marvel Television roles for Daredevil: Born Again, speculation began to stir about which other Netflix actors would join them, if any. Jon Bernthal, who portrayed Frank Castle, a.k.a. the Punisher, on Daredevil season 2 and his own spinoff series, The Punisher, was confirmed to be reprising the role in March 2023.
Bernthal’s Punisher quickly became a fan-favorite, thanks to Bernthal’s magnetic performance as the brutal antihero. Since Daredevil: Born Again hasn’t yet been confirmed to be R-rated, there are worries that the character could be watered down too much, but Echo‘s own R-rating suggests the Daredevil show may well follow suit, in part because of the Punisher’s presence.
Sandrine Holt As Vanessa Fisk
Last Seen In Daredevil Season 3
Ayelet Zurer initially portrayed Vanessa Fisk in Daredevil, the love interest and later wife to Wilson Fisk. However it was revealed in March 2023 that Sandrine Holt would assume the role for Daredevil: Born Again following her December 2022 casting.
This marks the first major recasting of a Marvel Television character for a Marvel Studios project, suggesting that the Netflix series, as well as other spinoff shows such as Agents of SHIELD, perhaps aren’t canon to the MCU after all. Nevertheless, Holt’s remarkable career in projects such as Black Robe, Sorry for Your Loss, and Homeland make her the perfect fit for the role of Vanessa Fisk in Daredevil: Born Again.
Elden Henson As Foggy Nelson
Last Seen In Daredevil Season 3
Initial reports for Daredevil: Born Again suggested that Foggy and Karen would not be in the MCU show, with many theorizing this was either reflective of an altered timeline as a result of its universe switch, or because Karen and Foggy had died during the unseen period of time between the Daredevil season 3 ending and the point at which Daredevil: Born Again picks up from. However, recent photos revealed both Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll on set, confirming they will reappear in some capacity.
Deborah Ann Woll As Karen Page
Last Seen In The Punisher Season 2
Similar to Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson, Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page was also thought to be absent from Daredevil: Born Again, until the release of set photos showing a “Nelson, Murdock & Page” business sign, and the subsequent reveal of both actors being on the show’s set. The return of Deborah Ann Woll’s Page is especially interesting given Matt Murdock’s romantic history with the character, as if she is alive in the main timeline of the show, this complicates Daredevil’s tryst with She-Hulk in the hero’s own solo series considerably.
That said, Woll & Henson’s returns would be well worth any complications, as both added nuance and depth to their respective roles throughout the original Daredevil show. However, the reported return of another Daredevil villain may well make the odds of them being alive and well in Daredevil: Born Again considerably more uncertain.
Wilson Bethel As Benjamin Poindexter, AKA Bullseye
Last Seen In Daredevil Season 3
Comicbook.com reported in January 2024 that Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye is set to return for Daredevil: Born Again. This would make notable sense given the Daredevil season 3 ending closed with the character seemingly finishing his villain origin story to officially become Bullseye, having undergone an experimental spinal surgery that, upon completion, left Poindexter’s eyes marked with the iconic Bullseye pattern.
Daredevil: Born Again set photos confirmed this to be the case, with Bullseye’s new MCU suit being employed in the show. Bringing the character back into the fold for the MCU show certainly makes sense, as it ensures the most exciting part of his villain story – his actual time as Bullseye – can be shown to audiences. This also serves to balance out the returning heroes and villains from the original show by providing Daredevil and Punisher another powerful enemy to go up against, even if Bullseye is only reportedly back for 3 episodes of the series.
Margarita Levieva
New Addition To Daredevil Show Cast
Best known for roles in Vanished, The Deuce, In From the Cold, and Revenge, Margarita Levieva was cast in Daredevil: Born Again in December 2022. Though her role hasn’t yet been disclosed by Marvel Studios, she has been reported to have a major role in the series, speculation suggesting that this could be the role of Matt Murdock’s love interest. This would mark a major diversion from Netflix’s Daredevil series, which teased the eventual relationship between Murdock and Woll’s Karen Page.
Daredevil: Born Again Supporting Cast & Characters
Michael Gandolfini – Joining Levieva from The Deuce is Michael Gandolfini, cast in an undisclosed role in Daredevil: Born Again in December 2022. Gandolfini’s role in the upcoming Disney+ series hasn’t been revealed, but there is speculation that he could be portraying Wilson Fisk’s son, though he did state that his character was from Staten Island rather than the Hell’s Kitchen setting of typical Daredevil stories. Gandolfini was the first cast member to join the series following Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio, so it’s likely he’ll have a large part to play in Daredevil: Born Again.
Nikki M. James – Following recent roles in Spoiler Alert and Apple TV+’s Severance, Nikki M. James was cast in Daredevil: Born Again in January 2023. Though the exact nature of her MCU role hasn’t been revealed, popular theories suggest she could be portraying Kristen McDuffie, the assistant DA who strongly suspects that Matt Murdock is the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. This suspicion eventually leads to the pair striking up a romantic relationship, which could lend itself to the much more charming version of Daredevil seen in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
Michael Gaston – Best known for roles in Prison Break, Jericho, and The Mentalist, Michael Gaston joined the cast of Daredevil: Born Again in March 2023. Gaston previously portrayed Gerald Sharpe, a member of the United States’ Department of Defense, during Agents of SHIELD season 7. Hwoever, since this storyline took place in the past, it’s unlikely he’ll be reprising this role for Daredevil: Born Again. Nothing else is yet known about Michael Gaston’s role in the upcoming MCU series.
Arty Froushan – Arty Froushan was cast in Daredevil: Born Again in March 2023, and although his role hasn’t been disclosed by Marvel Studios, it was reported that Froushan would be portraying an associate of Wilson Fisk named “Harry.” Marvel Studios hasn’t confirmed this, however, but the inclusion of the Carnival Row and House of the Dragon actor in the Phase 5 series is very exciting.
Harris Yulin – Set photos from Daredevil: Born Again suggested in April 2023 that Hollywood legend Harris Yulin had joined the cast of the upcoming MCU series. Nothing is known about Yulin’s potential role in Born Again, but with credits such as Scarface, Ghostbusters II, Clear and Present Danger, and Training Day under his belt, Yulin makes a brilliant addition to the cast of Daredevil: Born Again.
Genneya Walton – February 2024 saw the announcement that Genneya Walton – known best for appearances in Candy Cane Lane, BlackAF, and the show adaptation of School Of Rock – has joined Daredevil: Born Again. Reports that Walton’s character will be linked to journalism have led to theories that her role will be linked to Daredevil journalist Ben Urich, allowing his story to continue forward into the MCU, but nothing in this regard is currently confirmed as of yet.
