10 Lessons The MCU Needs To Learn From Marvel Netflix To Make Daredevil: Born Again A Hit

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Daredevil: Born Again will once again shine the spotlight on Matt Murdock, and the new Marvel Cinematic Universe series can learn some valuable lessons from Netflix's Daredevil and the other Marvel shows. Charlie Cox's Daredevil series ended with season 3 back in 2018. The actor was out of the role for years, finally returning for a brief cameo as Matt Murdock in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. Cox has also played Daredevil in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Echo.

After appearing in two Disney+ Marvel series, the actor is getting his own. Cox leads Daredevil: Born Again's cast, which features the return of multiple actors from Netflix's Daredevil series. While having characters from the popular show come back is great, Daredevil: Born Again's story can be helped by some important lessons taken from Netflix's Daredevil and the rest of the series in The Defenders Saga. Here are 10 Netflix Marvel lessons for Daredevil: Born Again:

10 Secret Identities Are A Vital Part Of Daredevil's Drama

One Villain Already Knows Matt Murdock's Secret

The MCU has a problem when it comes to superheroes' secret identities. Several heroes in the franchise do not have secret identities at all or chose to reveal them and more. As such, Daredevil is one of the few MCU heroes to still have a double life. That is a key aspect of the character in the comics and Cox's Netflix series, which makes it crucial for Daredevil: Born Again.

Matt Murdock has closed ones to protect, so keeping his Daredevil and Matt personas apart is needed. Daredevil: Born Again can feast on the drama that comes from Matt having secrets from people he loves or has some kind of link to. In Daredevil season 3, Wilson Fisk learned that Matt Murdock was Daredevil. The first Daredevil: Born Again teaser confirmed that it is part of the MCU series, making Daredevil's secret identity important.

9 Daredevil's "No Kill" Rule Makes Him A Very Different Hero

Daredevil Does Not Stoop To His Villains' Level

While there are some Marvel heroes who have no problem killing, like the Punisher, Daredevil is not among them. Like Tom Holland's Spider-Man, Charlie Cox's Daredevil has a strict "no kill" rule. The character did get close to breaking it. In the Daredevil season 3 finale, Matt Murdock defeated Kingpin in a hand-to-hand fight and left the villain a bloody mess. However, Matt stopped himself from killing Wilson Fisk.

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That showed that Daredevil is really all about justice, not vengeance. This is a key lesson for Daredevil: Born Again, as having the Devil of Hell's Kitchen start killing villains would not fit what has come before. That is not to say that Matt Murdock should not be violent when he is fighting criminals, but that Daredevil knows not to stoop to their level, defending justice as both Matt and Daredevil.

8 The Punisher Cannot Be Tamed

Jon Bernthal Returns To Marvel In Daredevil: Born Again

Daredevil has a strict "no kill" rule, but that could not be further from Frank Castle's M.O. The Punisher is an anti-hero, not a full-on hero like Daredevil. What that means is both characters play by a different set of rules, even though the two want to take down villains like Kingpin. Netflix's Daredevil showed how fundamentally different both characters were, and the Punisher's violent nature is what makes him pop as a character.

With the Punisher returning in Daredevil: Born Again , Marvel Studios needs to let the character be as violent as he needs to be.

Frank Castle's tragic background and violent present run hand in hand. After debuting in Daredevil, Jon Bernthal led two seasons of Netflix's The Punisher, going deeper into what makes Frank tick. With the Punisher returning in Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel Studios needs to let the character be as violent as he needs to be, with Frank Castle's darkness being a huge part of the character. Daredevil can balance him out, leading to a compelling dynamic.

7 Every Matt Murdock And Wilson Fisk Meeting Has To Be Special

The Characters Will Not Meet Often In The MCU's Daredevil Series

A lot of the time, Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk influenced each other's lives without having to directly deal with one another. While the characters were mostly apart in Netflix's Daredevil, the Marvel series made every encounter they had a memorable affair. With Kingpin once again having a major role in a Daredevil project, the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again needs to continue that positive trend.

Daredevil: Born Again really needs to get that aspect right, as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk will not interact a lot in season 1. Speaking with Collider, Charlie Cox explained why Daredevil and Kingpin will not share the screen much in Daredevil: Born Again, saying, "Were they to cross paths, they would fight to the death." With the two having limited screen time together in the new show, the Netflix Daredevil idea of having every meeting between Daredevil and Kingpin count needs to be repeated by Daredevil: Born Again.

6 Foggy And Karen Are Vital To Matt Murdock

The Characters Are Back In The MCU

Netflix's Daredevil might have been focused on Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock, but he would not have been the same without two characters. Matt's relationship with Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, his best friends and business partners, informed many of the events of Cox's first Marvel series. It was due to that reason that Foggy and Karen being initially absent from Daredevil: Born Again was met with huge criticism.

Thankfully, after Daredevil: Born Again's creative overhaul, both Foggy and Karen will be back for the new MCU series. So far, how many episodes they will appear in has yet to be confirmed. However, whether they are in the whole season, a handful of episodes, or just a single episode, Foggy and Karen need to heavily impact Matt Murdock's story. The friendship between the trio makes for exciting dynamics, and Matt's Daredevil life putting them in danger could also be explored in Daredevil: Born Again.

5 Hallway Fight Scenes Are A Must

Charlie Cox's Daredevil Is Known For His Exciting Action Scenes

Netflix's Daredevil and the rest of the series in The Defenders Saga became known for their dark themes and violent action. Both of those need to be present in Daredevil: Born Again for the new MCU series to be able to reach the high bar set by Charlie Cox's first Daredevil series. The action of the Netflix Marvel shows was hard-hitting, especially when it came to Cox's Daredevil.

The Netflix Daredevil series had many exciting action scenes. However, each season's corridor fight sequence was always the moment fans were anticipating. Season 1 shocked the world with one of the best action sequences in superhero adaptations, and the subsequent seasons upped the ante. Marvel Studios has already referenced the fan-favorite Daredevil feature in his She-Hulk: Attorney at Law appearance, so Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again should deliver another exciting hallway fight.

4 Matt's Faith Is An Important Part Of The Character

Matt Murdock Is Catholic

Matt Murdock and his priest in Netflix's Daredevil

The Defenders Saga featured a key part of Matt Murdock's characterization in the comics. The Marvel hero is known for being Catholic, and Charlie Cox's version of Matt saw the character's faith play a recurring role in Netflix's Daredevil. It was interesting to see how Matt's religion led to the character being in a constant fight with himself. He wants to be good, but Matt's got a darkness to him.

This led to many insightful talks between Charlie Cox's tortured vigilante and Father Paul Lantom in Netflix's Daredevil. One of the show's best scenes revolves around Matt asking for forgiveness for sins he is about to commit as Daredevil, and the whole show had Matt's Catholic guilt weigh on him as he tries to strike a balance between getting justice as Daredevil and acting according to his beliefs. Daredevil: Born Again would benefit from that moral dilemma.

3 Bullseye Is A Merciless Killer

The Daredevil Villain Makes His Marvel Studios Debut

Wilson Bethel's Benjamin Poindexter, aka Bullseye, is one of the best live-action Marvel villains. The character was a psychotic force to be stopped in Daredevil season 3. Poindexter was last seen undergoing surgery that seemed to end with him fully becoming Marvel Comics' Bullseye. Now, the character is confirmed to be back for Daredevil: Born Again, with Bullseye even getting a new villain suit rather than pretending to be Daredevil.

Daredevil season 3 cemented that the character is a brutal killer who will take down anyone who is on his path. Bullseye murdered many characters, including FBI agent Ray Nadeem. Daredevil: Born Again season 1 will reportedly feature Bullseye for 3 of its 9 episodes. When the character is onscreen, Bullseye needs to be as violent, deranged, and psychopathic of a character as he was in Netflix's Daredevil, as that made him the hero's biggest physical threat.

2 Courtroom Scenes Are Just As Effective As Action Sequences

Matt Murdock Matters As Much As Daredevil

Matt Murdock in the courtroom talking in Daredevil

This is an aspect that Daredevil: Born Again needs to take extra care of. The reason for that is Marvel Studios has already let the audience down when it comes to a superhero who is also a lawyer. While Tatiana Maslany's Jennifer Walters was delightful, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law's courtroom scenes were mostly forgettable and devoid of any real excitement, something that goes against Netflix's Daredevil.

Charlie Cox's first Daredevil series is the blueprint for a project focused on a vigilante/lawyer. The show managed to be just as exciting when Matt was questioning witnesses on the stand as when Daredevil was fighting villains. With impactful courtroom scenes, Daredevil: Born Again can ensure that both sides of Matt Murdock's life are given the proper focus, developing the show's story in two very different ways, with one complementing the other.

1 Little CGI Can Still Lead To An Engaging Superhero Series

Netflix's Daredevil Had Fantastic Action

Finally, the discussion surrounding CGI has been increasing when it comes to Marvel in recent years. Many projects in the MCU's Phase 4 suffered from VFX-related issues. In theory, Daredevil: Born Again should not have to deal with that problem. Netflix's Daredevil has some of the best superhero action in live-action and managed to do so with minimal CGI use. Now, under Marvel Studios, the latter should change.

In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Charlie Cox's Daredevil was more acrobatic, like he is in the comics, with a greater use of CGI than in Netflix's Daredevil. Footage released from Daredevil: Born Again shows that the series will once again feature acrobatic moments for the character. Daredevil: Born Again can do that, as long as it takes a page from the Netflix show and uses CGI sporadically, prioritizing the hard-hitting, realistic action that made the original show as beloved as it was. With an exciting story, dynamic characters, engaging dialogue, and impactful action, minimal CGI can work well.

After Charlie Cox's cameo appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home and supporting role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Daredevil: Born Again gives Matt Murdock his first show set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Daredevil: Born Again, composed of 18 episodes, serves as the spiritual successor to Netflix's three-season Daredevil series and adapts its characters to the MCU's main continuity while establishing a new beginning for the superhero lawyer.

Release Date January 1, 2024

Seasons 1

Streaming Service(s) Disney+