Highlights
- Marvel Studios has made creative changes to the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again show, resulting in a major overhaul and the firing of several people.
- Showrunner Steven DeKnight expressed sadness over the decision but was excited to see what the new creative team had planned.
- Actor Vincent D'Onofrio, who played Kingpin in the Netflix series, had a more positive outlook, stating that constant evolution in projects is common and necessary in the industry.
Daredevil: Born Again is undergoing creative changes after Marvel Studios decided the show wasn't working. In response, Kingpin actor Vincent D'Onofrio and the original series' showrunner, Steven DeKnight, shared their opinions on the turbulence surrounding the show’s development.
Netflix's Daredevil show ran for three seasons on the streamer and garnered a dedicated fanbase that balked at the series’ eventual cancelation. However, things would soon look up when Marvel Studios announced it intended to develop its own series based on the character and integrate him into the MCU, as indicated by character cameos after the announcement. While fans weren’t sure whether Daredevil: Born Again was a reboot or a continuation, the anticipation for the project ramped up regardless.
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While filming and production on Daredevil: Born Again were in full swing before coming to a halt due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that kicked off earlier in the year, it was recently revealed that Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige had scrapped the current plans for the show in favor of a major overhaul, which included Marvel Studios firing several people working on Daredevil: Born Again in a bid to save the show. Steven DeKnight, who served as the original showrunner for the Netflix series, took to social media to express his condolences to those affected. “Steven DeKnight is actually sad to hear this news. Despite my feelings of corporate shenanigans, I was truly excited to see what the new creative team was whipping up. My heart goes out to all who were affected by this decision. Tomorrow is a better day,” he posted, responding to another user drawing his attention to the situation.
While DeKnight, who has previously supported the new show while clarifying comments on Disney's Daredevil scam, framed the move as regretful, not everyone saw it the same way. Vincent D'Onofrio, who portrayed the character Wilson Fisk (aka prolific crime boss The Kingpin) in the Netflix Daredevil series and is attached to reprise the role for Disney Plus, had a more positive outlook on the move, taking to his own social media account to reassure fans. “Every cool project I've been involved with has evolved constantly during pre-production, production and post," he wrote. "It's just reported on these days as if it's big news. It's not. It's simple a bunch of creatives doing their best to get it right. It's a constant in this business. I wouldn't have it any other way. Frankly I'd be worried if we were settling for less.”
While the chaotic nature of Daredevil: Born Again's production is discouraging, it makes sense that things wouldn’t go smoothly, as the challenge of fitting Marvel TV shows into the MCU is a well-known struggle for the company. Although, regrettably, the show will be delayed and some involved in the project lost work, fans will likely agree with D'Onofrio's assessment that the final result of the messy process will justify the situation. Marvel Studios sees it that way, with Feige's insistence on a restart likely predicated on rightly viewing Daredevil as a major asset to the MCU if re-integrated correctly.
The time spent in development will do the series some good, especially since the showrunners have to find ways Daredevil: Born Again can improve on the Netflix show that brought so much positive attention to the character. How well this shuffling of scribes and directors will play into that mission, and if it justifies the appreciable delay that results, remain to be seen.
Daredevil: Born Again will be released on Disney Plus.
Source: Vincent D'Onofrio, Steven DeKnight