Daredevil: Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane has revealed that the upcoming Disney+ series will distance itself from Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) previous appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, particularly his role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Speaking with SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar), Scardapane explained how the creative team is navigating the character’s established MCU continuity while crafting a darker, more grounded take on the Man Without Fear. This approach aligns with the show’s creative overhaul, which saw Marvel Studios pivot away from a procedural format to embrace a tone more reminiscent of the original Netflix series. The decision came after extensive behind-the-scenes changes during the 2023 Hollywood strikes, including the replacement of the original showrunners and a complete revision of the show’s early episodes to better align with fans’ expectations for the character.
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“Marvel has a master plan, and what you’re doing causes ripple effects,” Scardapane explained. “I would pitch stuff very early, and I would hear that they had other plans,” which is exciting for Daredevil fans who want to see him join the Avengers. However, the showrunner emphasized that while the hero’s MCU appearances remain canon, the series won’t necessarily build upon all of them. “You can say that Daredevil is canon in the MCU, those other events happened, but some of them we are not leaning into,” he noted, specifically adding that “his one-night stand with She-Hulk may be one of those things.”
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Daredevil’s She-Hulk appearance notably divided the fanbase. In addition, former Daredevil stuntman Chris Brewster had previously criticized the character’s portrayal in She-Hulk, particularly lamenting the shift from practical effects to CGI-heavy action sequences that, in his view, diminished the visceral nature of Daredevil’s fighting style. While She-Hulk showrunner Jessica Gao defended the lighter interpretation, praising the chemistry between Charlie Cox and Tatiana Maslany, the creative team behind Born Again appears committed to returning the character to his grittier roots. This approach reflects a broader understanding of what made the Netflix series resonate with audiences, balancing the need for MCU connectivity with the darker tone that defined Daredevil’s television success.
How Daredevil: Born Again Deals with Canon
The decision to selectively acknowledge Matt Murdock’s MCU appearances while refocusing on the grittier elements reiterates Marvel Studios’ commitment to reintegrating the Netflix-era characters into their larger universe. Initially, Marvel seemed hesitant to fully embrace the Netflix shows as canon, with early MCU appearances of Daredevil and Kingpin in projects like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye keeping their previous histories deliberately ambiguous. However, the studio’s position has evolved considerably, culminating in Born Again‘s direct acknowledgment of its Netflix predecessor. In that context, the return of original cast members Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson as Karen Page and Foggy Nelson is an acknowledgment that the Netflix era successfully established a distinct corner of the Marvel universe worth preserving.
The canonization of the Netflix series also provides Marvel Studios with a rich backstory from which to draw, allowing Born Again to hit the ground running rather than spending time reestablishing character dynamics and relationships. According to Scardapane, the series will pick up from “the dream Foggy, Karen, and Matt shared at the end of the series,” referring to the Netflix show’s conclusion. This decision honors the previous series and provides a natural jumping-off point for new stories while maintaining the complex character relationships that made the original series compelling. Plus, it leaves the door open for other Netflix-era characters to reappear at some point.
Daredevil: Born Again premieres March 4th on Disney+.