Daredevil, like the rest of the Marvel TV shows on Netflix, was cancelled when it became clear Disney had plans for its own streaming service. Declining viewership likely factored into the decision, but Marvel Television is no more, and now Marvel Studios is in charge of everything.
Fans have been pleading with Kevin Feige to #SaveDaredevil for a while now, but it seemed unlikely to happen. That's what made reports about Charlie Cox reprising the role in Spider-Man 3 all the more shocking, and Feige's response to those rumours...well, it was telling to say the least.
So, if the Man Without Fear is indeed set to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut (the TV shows were only ever loosely connected to this world), then what comes next for him?
In this feature, we share five theories for how Daredevil's story can play out following Spider-Man 3...
5. Walters & Murdock
Foggy Nelson is an important part of Matt Murdock's story, but what if he works primarily with Jennifer Walters in the MCU? We've heard that She-Hulk primarily represents those with superpowers, so if Matt works with her, then it's possible that's what leads to him defending Peter Parker/Spider-Man in court.
Foggy could be part of that law practice, but making Matt a supporting character in She-Hulk would add an interesting wrinkle to the Disney+ series, and give Daredevil chance to shine.
Sure, the Man Without Fear and She-Hulk doesn't sound like the most natural team-up on paper, but it would be fun to see. Even if Matt's alter-ego doesn't appear, this series has an opportunity to establish him as an important legal character in the MCU, potentially making him a recurring presence elsewhere.
4. Spider-Man's New Mentor
A big part of Spider-Man's story in the MCU has been Peter Parker's apparent quest for a father figure. It was Tony Stark in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and then Mysterio in the sequel.
Doctor Strange has been described as a "mentor" to the web-slinger in Spider-Man 3, but perhaps that's a role Daredevil could take on in future stories? These two have a close friendship in the comic books, and Matt could definitely take Peter under his wing, and teach him how to protect normal people in New York CIty (we've not really seen Spidey dealing with any street crimes).
If Marvel Studios isn't ready to give Daredevil his own feature or series, then why not have Spider-Man 4 revolve around a team-up? The groundwork for that could be laid in the threequel, anyway.
3. A Hawkeye Cameo
Looking ahead to the rest of Phase 4, there aren't too many projects that Daredevil is a natural fit for.
He's never really enjoyed fighting alongside the Avengers, and is a superhero who primarily tackles threats on the streets of Hell's Kitchen. It's clear that Hawkeye isn't going to be dealing with any world-ending threats, so the Man Without Fear could potentially join Clint Barton and Kate Bishop at some point (Echo will be in the series, and she has a lot of history with Daredevil).
It sounds a lot like the two Hawkeyes will be facing off with various crime families, and possibly even Madame Masque, so if Wilson Fisk is revealed to be pulling the strings, then enter Daredevil!
2. Moon Knight Team-Up
Another strong possibility for Daredevil's next MCU appearance is Moon Knight. You can't get more street level than Marc Spector, and while it's feasible that his series will be supernatural-based, we'd love to see these two vigilantes cross paths at some point on Disney+.
Both heroes have suffered with their mental health, and given the often violent, unhinged actions of Moon Knight, the Man Without Fear may end up leaping into action to square off with him.
The prospect of Charlie Cox and Oscar Isaac sharing the screen is exciting, and making Daredevil a supporting character who shows up as a lawyer in She-Hulk, and a vigilante in Moon Knight, could be a great way to make use of ol' Hornhead in the MCU as Marvel Studios reintroduces the character to viewers. In fact, cameos like this could lead to something even bigger down the line...
1. Big Screen Reboot
The Daredevil TV series got a lot right, but it made more than a few mistakes as well. Karen Page was poorly handled, while Bullseye's extended origin story was a complete dud (he wasn't where he needed to be until that final scene). Even the portrayal of Matt himself was a tad hit-and-miss, and so we're not losing any sleep over claims Kevin Feige plans to forget all of that.
In fact, it sounds like the plan is to completely reboot the Man Without Fear, with the same actor playing him, but all that history forgotten (Feige had no creative input with Marvel Television's TV shows, so there's no way he's going to bring all that baggage into this shared world moving forward).
Anyway, all of this is to say that we're banking on Daredevil getting his own movie. This separates the character from the last show, and gives Marvel Studios the chance to tell a totally different type of story. Matt has a tonne of big screen potential, especially when you start throwing characters like The Kingpin, Bullseye, and Elektra into the mix. We're keeping everything crossed.