Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Daredevil

  • Stilt-Man Almost Appeared in ‘She-Hulk’

    Stilt-Man Almost Appeared in ‘She-Hulk’

    More than any other MCU project to date, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law opened the doors for some of Marvel’s most obscure D-list characters. Leap-Frog made a memorable MCU debut. Emil Blonsky’s retreat introduced Man-Bull, Saracen, Porcupine, and El Aquila, none of whom would many many Top 1000 favorite Marvel characters lists. Regardless, She-Hulk gave those characters their moments in the spotlight along with introducing slightly more well-known characters like The Wrecking Crew and Mr. Immortal.

    To no one’s surprise, those characters were just some of the many that the writer’s room of the series considered and while we’ll never know the entire list, writer Zeb Wells did name drop one character whose exclusion from the project might indicate an appearance in another project down the road.

    “Yes, for sure. We went through a lot of them. I think Stilt-Man was probably thrown in there at one point. Saracen, he started off as someone else we couldn’t get for some reason. I think there is a character at Marvel called ‘The Matador’ and we couldn’t use him [laughs].”

    One of Daredevil’s recurring foes, Stilt-Man is precisely the type of character who is more well-aligned with the sensibilities of the MCU than the Netflix Defenders-verse. If the character was indeed in the mix for She-Hulk, it’s possible, perhaps even likely, that he’ll be in the mix again. While primarily an adversary of Daredevil, the character also played a role in Armor Wars, which Marvel Studios is currently adapting as a feature film. So while he didn’t make the cut in She-Hulk, Stilt-Man’s dozens and dozens of fans can keep their fingers crossed he turns up down the road.

    Source: Comicbook

  • Charlie Cox on the “Save Daredevil” Campaign and the Future of the Character

    Charlie Cox on the “Save Daredevil” Campaign and the Future of the Character

    Charlie Cox week continues full steam ahead. Whether it’s been discussing the new-found levity of the character,hyping Daredevil: Born Again co-star Vincent D’Onofrio or confusing fans and himself about the continuity of the character, fans have had their fair share of Cox this week and that’s ok. It’s become clear over the years that Daredevil fans love Cox. And in an interview with Marvel.com, the actor talked bout just how much he loves them back, including a certain segment that is near and dear to his heart.

    When the news of the cancellation of Daredevil reached fans in November of 2018, a group of fans took it upon themselves to start an online campaign to get Cox back in the role. Over the years, the Save Daredevil campaign grew into a massive, highly organized undertaking who were able to celebrate their success when news broke that Cox was returning to the role in Spider-Man: No Way Home. According to Cox, he has them to thank for his return to the role…and the future of the character.

    Charlie Cox at a rooftop party with the Save Daredevil crew in NYC
    Photo credit: Save Daredevi

    There’s so much I want to say. Whatever happens to my career going forward from this point on, I owe most of it to the “Save Daredevil” campaign. That even when I had lost hope years ago, they did not, and they continued to campaign and support. And over the years, I’ve met many of them, and they’re such an enthusiastic, passionate crowd.

    Charlie Cox

    While Marvel Studios worked hard to keep Cox’s return a secret in the past, the future is a wide-open book. Following his work on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, he’s expected to appear in Echo, though he’s played coy about that appearance so far, and then star in Marvel Studios most ambitious Disney Plus streaming series yet: Daredevil: Born Again. Demonstrating his trademark passion for the character, Cox explained that he can’t wait to get started on the new series, which he’s called “a whole new deal” for the character.

    I’m so excited about the future. I can’t wait to get on the set from the first day of the new show. I’m already starting to train. As you know, I’m already starting to make plans in terms of living and training and having conversations with the writers and all of those things. So it’s starting to feel very real.

    Charlie Cox

    Principal photography on Daredevil: Born Again is expected to begin sometime early in 2023 with some work set to be done in New York City. The actor had indicated that production is expected to both physically and mentally challenging, given the ambitiousness of the project, but the payoff should be great. With an 18-episode run, fans can expect to see a lot of Cox on Disney Plus throughout 2024.

    Source: Marvel.com

  • Charlie Cox Debates Himself on Daredevil’s Continuity Continuing in the MCU

    Charlie Cox Debates Himself on Daredevil’s Continuity Continuing in the MCU

    In true Marvel Studios’ fashion, their latest project, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, has continued to make news nearly a week beyond its finale streamed on Disney Plus. Most of that news has come from post-finale interviews and most of those have been focused on guest star Charlie Cox, whose appearance as both lawyer Matt Murdock and the costumed vigilante Daredevil in Episode 8 fully integrated his character into the MCU after a brief appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Cox has a lot of MCU in front of him, with a rumored appearance in Echo and an 18-episode series of his own, Daredevil: Born Again, set for 2024. With all that ahead of him, however, much of the focus remains on his past and whether or not this Matt Murdock is the same one introduced in Netflix’s Daredevil.

    In the past Cox has been clear that whatever the case, Daredevil: Born Again will not serve as a continuation of the Netflix series, calling it a “whole new deal” and explaining that Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige sees it as Season 1 rather than Season 4. Cox has also expressed enthusiasm at the fact that his future in the MCU will allow for the opportunity “to potentially get to tell some of the stories over and over again.” These comments certainly leave room for this iteration of the character to be a multiversal variant rather than THE exact same character seen over three seasons of the Netflix series.

    Interestingly enough, EW addressed this very topic in a recent interview by asking Cox if he was playing Daredevil “the same as in the Netflix series”

    It should be and it is always the same character. The difference is just like with people, we morph and change and are very different based on what’s going on in our lives. The Matt Murdock from the Netflix show, that world and what was going on for Matt meant that most of the time we were living with a man who had a huge amount of pressure and strain and tonally the show was very dark and gritty and heavy. I don’t know what the new show will be like, but when I came over to do Spider-Man and She-Hulk, the tone is much more lighthearted and tongue in cheek and fun and witty and full of levity, so the hope was that Matt is able to fit into that world and participate in it without it being a different character, a different person.

    Charlie Cox

    Pretty clear cut. Same character, same person. However, asked by THR if the character he will be playing in Daredevil: Born Again will be “the exact same character” as the one from the Netflix series, Cox’s response was a little different.

    I honestly don’t know. I haven’t read any scripts yet, and we haven’t really talked at length about what this current iteration will be like. Just by the fact that they’re using me as an actor to play the part, it’s clear that there are going to be some consistencies and … some differences. We have an opportunity to at least take what worked really well and then also add some cool elements, ideas, concepts and themes that we weren’t able to do before. So it’s Daredevil, but upgraded.

    Charlie Cox

    Given that Daredevil entered the MCU in the Multiverse Saga, the second statement seems to fall in line with what Marvel Studios has put on film so far in Phase 4. Plenty of examples exist of characters who are almost identical, but just a little different. And that statement also points out the creative freedom of choosing to portray Daredevil (and Kingpin or any other Netflix character for that matter) as a Variant. As Cox says, they would have the “opportunity to at least take what worked really well” while also having the freedom to change parts of the story they didn’t like. A well-placed Nexus Event essentially makes Matt Murdock the same character at his core but allows Marvel Studios to retell stories (as Cox indicates they are willing to do) in a way that fits their shared narrative rather than having to force the Netflix stories into it.

    Fans of the Netflix series may not love it, but Cox said it himself: “it’s Daredevil, but upgraded.” Ultimately it’s clear that Cox isn’t even sure himself what’s happening and the truth is that the longer he and fans are kept in the dark, the better it is for Marvel Studios because it allows them to do what they do best: keep interest in their characters and project alive even when there’s nothing new to see.

    Sources: THR and EW

  • Charlie Cox Endorses Jessica Henwick as MCU’s Iron Fist

    Charlie Cox Endorses Jessica Henwick as MCU’s Iron Fist

    By now, it’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is bringing back it’s Netflix characters. Charlie Cox, who headlined the corner of Marvel Television that came to be known as the ‘Defenderverse,’ has slowly returned to his role as Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil, in projects over the last two years, while Vincent D’Onofrio made a surprise comeback as his archnemesis Wilson Fisk in last year’s Disney+ series Hawkeye. There are even rumors swirling that the likes of Jon Bernthal and Krysten Ritter may soon reappear as their respective characters, Frank Castle and Jessica Jones. However, nowhere to be found are claims of Iron Fist‘s cast joining their fellow street-level heroes in the MCU sandbox.

    Fortunately for them, Cox stated in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he would ‘put in a good word‘ for some of his former Defenders castmates. Specifically, the actor mentioned Jessica Henwick as someone he thinks should get a second chance with Marvel Studios. The actress portrayed Colleen Wing, a New York City-based martial artist who begins as an ally of Finn Jones‘ Danny Rand before becoming the Iron Fist herself. When asked about the potential of her reprising the role, Cox stated:

    Yeah, she’s amazing. She’s amazing. Look, I agree with you, wholeheartedly. I could also say that about a number of people that I worked with not only on Daredevil, but also on the other shows we did there. So I don’t know what they’re thinking, but I will absolutely put in a good word. And you’re 100 percent right about that. [Jessica] is awesome. And I did get a lovely text from her the other day saying that she read the news and was thrilled for me.

    Charlie Cox

    Iron Fist was not loved by many, but Henwick was almost universally praised for her performance. With the way her story was left off, it seems plausible that she could end up taking over as the MCU’s main Iron Fist should she be contacted by Marvel boss Kevin Feige. At the very least, Cox seems to think she deserves the chance.

    Source: THR

  • Charlie Cox Praises Vincent D’Onoforio; Talks Reuniting with ‘Daredevil’ Co-Star

    Charlie Cox Praises Vincent D’Onoforio; Talks Reuniting with ‘Daredevil’ Co-Star

    With Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock both making their respective ways into the MCU, it’s just a matter of time before the two meet up. Whether that meeting is a reunion between the two characters or their first meeting in a vast multiverse continues to be a hot topic of debate, but one thing has been clear since Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onoforio worked together on Daredevil: they each have a great deal of respect for the other. The two shared the stage briefly at D23 to discuss Daredevil: Born Again, an upcoming 18-episode streaming series and fans have been thrilled at the prospect of seeing them together again since. Fans aren’t the only ones excited about the reunion, however.

    In an interview with GQ following his appearance on She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, Cox gushed about D’Onofrio’s talents:

    He’s obviously a lovely guy, but more than that, he’s just such an extraordinary performer. He’s such a great actor. To be able to work opposite him and show up for a day of filming and see what he brings to the scene-which is always so much richer and more nuanced and more interesting [than] you could even have imagined in your mind I probably learned more from him about acting than I have from anyone else I’ve worked with. I think he’s made me a much better actor. Hopefully, I can learn more as we can continue working together.

    Charlie Cox

    D’Onofrio’s investment into the psychology of Wilson Fisk has been well-documented and paid huge dividends over the course of his time on the Netflix series. The actor has made it clear that he’s bringing the same energy to the character as he enters the MCU, meaning that when it comes time for him to meet Daredevil on screen, fans can expect something special.

    Source: GQ

  • Charlie Cox Wants More CGI In ‘Daredevil: Born Again’`

    Charlie Cox Wants More CGI In ‘Daredevil: Born Again’`

    Charlie Cox is back as Daredevil and he’s ready to make a few improvements. The actor made his big return to the role of lawyer Matt Murdock in last year’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, before putting on the vigilante suit and seeing a little more screen time in Disney+’s latest series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. When fans finally saw the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Murdock take action, however, it looked a little different than the last time he appeared on Netflix. In She-Hulk, Daredevil was made to be a bit more acrobatic than he was in his own show, with additional CGI being used to more accurately reflect his comic book abilities. In a new interview with GQ, Cox revealed his hopes that this use of CGI continues in his next solo outing, Daredevil: Born Again.

    When asked about what he hoped to accomplish on Disney+ that he wasn’t able to do on Netflix, the former Stardust star gave the following answer:

    I guess what I would say is: hopefully, on the Disney+ show, Born Again, we will be able to use—and I hope that we do it sparingly, I believe it should be used sparingly—but we’ll hopefully be able to use a tiny bit more CGI in the action sequences. Just to emphasize his gymnastic abilities that have been basically impossible to do.

    Charlie Cox

    Marvel’s Netflix shows were known for their lower-budget feel, often resulting in the use of more practical action choreography that limited what Cox could do as the famously spry superhero. Of course, this doesn’t mean those fight scenes weren’t extremely well-done. Just that with a little added CGI, they might be able to do something more faithful to the source material. Also, to be fair, Cox prefaced his answer with a disclaimer explaining why he couldn’t give a more detailed response:

    I’ve learned that these questions are a little tricky because the problem with them is that if I start detailing things I’d like to do, then very quickly, it becomes a news story. It potentially gets in the minds of not only the fans but also the creators and the writers. I really want to be careful not to muddy those waters because if it turns out to be a good idea, it can be a shame because it robs the fans of that moment of discovery. So forgive me for being a little bit vague in this area.

    Charlie Cox

    Daredevil: Born Again is set to debut on Disney+ in the spring of 2024, with Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio returning to their respective roles of Murdock and crime lord Wilson Fisk.

    Source: GQ

  • Charlie Cox Discusses Differences Between Netflix and Disney+ Versions of Daredevil

    Charlie Cox Discusses Differences Between Netflix and Disney+ Versions of Daredevil

    The return of Charlie Cox as Matthew Murdock and Daredevil has been one of the most hotly discussed topics in the superhero landscape. Once believed to be a relative impossibility following the Netflix cancellation, this portrayal of Daredevil has been given a second wind of energy that will continue into in his own 2024 Disney+ series. While his return in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has been met with general praise from audiences, some level of debate has amassed on the differences in portrayal of Matthew Murdock on Disney+ as opposed to Netflix. The somber tones of the original Netflix series are not present in the recent Disney+ series, though that’s absolutely logical with the latter being distinctly comedic in nature. It has, however, led to some questions about how this will translate to Daredevil: Born Again.

    While speaking with Variety about his return to the role, Charlie Cox took some time to speak about the different side of his character shown in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

    We’ve never really had an opportunity to explore the levity that there is in the comics. Obviously Daredevil at his core works better as a show that’s geared toward a more mature audience, but even life that is very serious has comedic moments in it. I felt like this was a really good opportunity to put Daredevil in a world where tonally there is a lot more fun to be had, it’s a lot more lighthearted, tongue in cheek. It was a really great experiment, both for me and for the character, to see how we fit into that world. It was just a question of freeing up a little bit and allowing myself as an actor to go toe-to-toe with Tatiana and make sure that Daredevil didn’t become the butt of the joke because he’s overly serious, to make sure he had his charisma, charm and wits. Whether that will play into what we do next year with “Daredevil: Born Again,” I don’t know, but it was certainly a fun experiment.

    Charlie Cox

    Charlie Cox makes a strong point about the importance of moments of levity despite his character being commonly associated with darker themes. Matthew Murdock’s role in She-Hulk doesn’t necessarily negate the character’s other experiences in the Netflix Defenders-verse. While the tone of Daredevil in She-Hulk was different from the Netflix series, it was also greatly in-line with the seminal Mark Waid run on the character in the comics.

    Whether or not this tone will remain for Daredevil: Born Again does remain a question. But if the quality of his material remains the same, it shouldn’t really matter what tone Daredevil will have for this upcoming series.

    Source: Variety

  • Charlie Cox Discusses What to Expect in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    Charlie Cox Discusses What to Expect in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    With She-Hulk: Attorney at Law having wrapped up its first season on Disney+, fans have begun further anticipating the next venture involving a superheroic lawyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Charlie Cox has received generally rave reviews for his performance in the final two episodes of She-Hulk, greatly raising the level of interest for Daredevil: Born Again, which arrives on Disney+ in 2024 with 18 episodes (an unprecedented move for Marvel Studios projects on the streaming platform). While talking with Variety about his return as Daredevil, Charlie Cox discussed the concept of an 18-episode series and how it will impact the production and story of the new series.

    It’s mad. I have no idea; your guess is as good as mine. Just in terms of shooting, physically it’s going to be a real slog and that will be a challenge in and of itself, which I’m excited about. It’s such a bold move. The character being a lawyer lends quite well to that. There’s a lot of story you can tell, just outside of the superhero element.

    Charlie Cox

    With Daredevil: Born Again being primed to be such a deep dive into the titular character and his world, questions will be asked of how much from the original Netflix series will be folded into this adaptation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When asked about who from the original series Cox would like to reunite with, the actor played it relatively coy. However, he did go fairly in-depth into the concept of being curious about where the character’s “canon” will be when the show streams.

    It was an absolute delight to work with everyone on all of those shows at Netflix. They were the beating heart of all of those shows. I would be honored and thrilled to work with any of them again. I would hate to single anyone out and I would hate to speculate because I just don’t know what the plan is going forward. That’s way above my pay grade. There are so many great stories to tell. There are stories to tell again. That wouldn’t be inconsistent with what they do in the comic book universe. Often a new writer and artist will take over a book and they will start from beginning. So maybe we’ll be doing that, but I genuinely don’t know. I’m just thrilled that I’ve been invited to the party.

    Charlie Cox

    Charlie Cox makes some interesting points here about the possibility of Daredevil: Born Again being a true fresh slate for the character away from what he did before. The specific status of “canon” within the Netflix universe of Marvel characters, however, does still remain nebulous. That said, the inclusion of Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin alongside rumors about other returning Netflix characters can lead to the belief that at least some of the core story beats will remain intact.

    The growing romance between Daredevil and She-Hulk caught the attention of fans, and She-Hulk, after showcasing strong amounts of chemistry in the latter two episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Fans have begun to ask questions about whether Jennifer Walters will make some sort of appearance in Daredevil: Born Again. Charlie Cox addressed the idea.

    I don’t like to speculate; I’ve learned over the years that when you get excited in an interview and you talk about things that could happen, the problem is that they then litter the internet. People talk about it, and then if it is a good idea, you end up ruining it for the fans. The only thing I’ll say is that I had such a blast working with Tatiana. She’s such an extraordinary actor, and the characters’ chemistry was really strong. There’s more fun to be had there, so whether we can go on that journey a little longer and our lives can collide again, I don’t know but I’d certainly be in support of that, if it can happen.

    Charlie Cox

    Source: Variety

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Star Tatiana Maslany Discusses a Potential ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Appearance

    ‘She-Hulk’ Star Tatiana Maslany Discusses a Potential ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Appearance

    Episode 8 of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law saw Charlie Cox guest star as both Matt Murdock and Daredevil and fans ate up both his performance and the chemistry between his character and Tatiana Maslany’s Jen Walters. Since the episode debuted, fans have been clamoring to see more of the two together and while they got a few seconds of screen time with one another in the finale of She-Hulk, it didn’t quite satisfy the need of fans nor, apparently, Maslany.

    In an interview with THR, Maslany joked that she’s been texting Cox daily, trying to find a way to guest star in Daredevil: Born Again, which is currently set to stream in 2024.

    I keep texting him being like, ‘Am I required for set today?’ And he says, ‘We’ll let you know by lunch.’ But he just keeps putting it off. I’ve been waiting outside the set in my She-Hulk costume, so just put me in, coach.

    Tatiana Maslany

    While fans wait for word on a potential second season of She-Hulk and what future the character has in store in the wider MCU, it’s wonderful to see Maslany campaigning to keep the fire hot between Jen and Matt!

    All 9 episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law are now streaming on Disney Plus.

    Source: THR

  • Tatiana Maslany Says She-Hulk Isn’t Serious About Dating Daredevil

    Tatiana Maslany Says She-Hulk Isn’t Serious About Dating Daredevil

    In an interview with ExtraTV, She-Hulk star Tatiana Maslany dished on one of the show’s biggest talking points: Jennifer’s blossoming relationship with Matt Murdock. Upon watching the conclusion of the series where Jen introduces Matt to her family, a portion of the fandom wondered whether this romance would carry on to future installments. Maslany thinks that isn’t the case:

    Tatiana also shared her take on the relationship between Matt, aka Daredevil, and Jen, saying that their relationship isn’t serious “at all.” She added, “I think Jen is half, like, trolling Matt… I think also there’s something about the way Matt is with her, where it seems like he’s just cool with who she is.”

    Charlie Cox has expressed his desire for Maslany to appear in his upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series. While it certainly would be great to see the actor crossover to a darker show like Born Again, her larger-than-life presence might sully what fans are hoping to be a grounded, realistic vision of Matt Murdock’s story. The character has had his fill of romances in his Netflix show but this new one he has isn’t too bad either so we’ll let K.E.V.I.N. decide.

    Source: Extra TV