Posted in: Disney+, Marvel, Opinion, streaming, TV, TV | Tagged: born again, charlie cox, daredevil, disney, frank miller, marvel

Daredevil: Born Again: What We Know, What We Hope & What We Want

Marvel was back at San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend with some Earth-shattering Hall H announcements, and this year's news did not disappoint. Among the Phase 5 announcements, the studio officially confirmed that Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio will return in a Daredevil series for Disney+ titled Daredevil: Born Again, coming in Spring 2024.

Known for originating the roles of Matt Murdock (and his masked counterpart Daredevil) and Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, in the MCU, Cox & D'Onofrio are the only cast announced at this time; however, it does open speculation as to if any of the rest of the cast from Netflix' Daredevil series are going to reprise their roles in the Disney+ series. Elden Henson was brilliant as Foggy Nelson, as was Deborah Ann Woll in the role of Karen Page, who breathed a layered life into the character.

Most notably for female fans, in particular, the series (and the best version of Karen Page fans have gotten so far) brought Page into the 21st century by turning her from a secretary and love interest into a character of her own and a curious, investigative journalist who was so much more than just "the girl". Daredevil gave Karen Page back her agency, and it was a breath of fresh air to see liberties taken in Netflix's adaptation of the "Guardian Devil" and "Born Again" storylines in regards to Karen Page. However, with this new series, it stands to reason that may not be the case, and Karen will have a much worse fate like in the comics.

The "Born Again" comics run by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli served as inspiration for the third season of Netflix's Daredevil series, though with notable changes to plots and character arcs. In the original comic, Murdock's secret identity as the devil of Hell's Kitchen is sold to Fisk by Karen Page, who moved to Hollywood and ended up a drug addict. Fisk then uses the information of Murdock's identity to relentlessly pursue him, with Murdock going so far as to fake his death after Fisk crushed nearly every aspect of his personal life.

"Born Again" often goes hand in hand with the "Guardian Devil" book by Kevin Smith, Joe Quesda & Jimmy Palmiotti. "Guardian Devil" is the storyline that is notorious for Karen Page's heartbreaking death and iconic religious imagery, where she's struck down in the pulpit of a cathedral by Bullseye. It also deals with Matt Murdock protecting a baby who is believed to be the antichrist.

The Marvel Netflix series is beloved by fans for the creative adaptation of the characters and plot while also tying the stories into the current MCU and current reality. When the streaming rights reverted back to Marvel from Netflix, there was heavy speculation that Marvel would either continue the series or use this freedom to put the Daredevil characters in other series, which they have so far. D'Onofrio's Kingpin appeared in Hawkeye and will also play a major role in Echo alongside Cox's Daredevil, with the latter also teased in the new She-Hulk: Attorney at Law trailer. But one thing that fans need to prepare for is that it's more than likely that Cox and D'Onofrio will be working along a canon timeline apart from the ones running in the Netflix series. If that's the case, then I hope they stay true to the key factors that made the show such a hit. Casting-wise? So far, so good.

Alongside Cox's return to the Marvel television circuit, Jessica Jones star Kristen Ritter is rumored to return to the role, possibly in the She-Hulk series as well (but again, rumors). With the wealth of storytelling potential that these characters' involvement opens up, what are the best comic stories Marvel TV should explore on their shows? Daredevil: Born Again will star Cox and D'Onofrio and premiere on Disney+ in Spring 2024.

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