She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was among many upcoming MCU projects featured at Marvel’s Comic-Con panel. The series got a new trailer that shows off more of Tatiana Maslany’s burly superhero lawyer and sheds some more light on the plot of the Disney+ series. But for many Marvel fans, all that matters is that final shot of Marvel’s *other* superhero lawyer.
That’s right, Charlie Cox looks to be reprising the role of Daredevil for the She-Hulk series. It’s the first step in what promises to be a very bright future for Daredevil in the MCU. Well, as bright as it can be when Marvel Studios is about to adapt one of the darkest Daredevil comics of all time. Let’s break down what we know about old Hornhead’s role in Phase 4 and beyond.
Charlie Cox’s Daredevil in She-Hulk
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law won’t be the first time we’ve seen Cox’s Matt Murdock in an official MCU project. That honor goes to Spider-Man: No Way Home. But there, we only briefly saw Matt in his role as Peter Parker’s lawyer. He did his job, but we never got to see Matt actually suit up and fight crime.
That won’t be an issue with the She-Hulk series, it seems. We see Daredevil appear in a new costume that seems to combine elements of his black suit from Season 1 with a more, traditional comic book-inspired look. We also see Daredevil wielding his trademark twin billy clubs.
We don’t however, see Daredevil’s face, which has led some fans to question whether this is actually Matt Murdock at all. Some have speculated we’re actually looking at Bullseye, a villain already notorious for stealing Daredevil’s look in the Netflix series.
Still, it stands to reason Matt has a key part to play in this series. Again, he’s both a lawyer and a superhero, and as such he’s one of the few people in the Marvel Universe to understand the struggle Jen Walters is going through. The trailer also reveals that Jen has been hired by a high-powered law firm to spearhead a new division that specializes in superhuman legal matters. The series may show Matt Murdock stopping by to lend his legal expertise by day, and then suiting up to punch bad guys with She-Hulk at night.
Daredevil in Marvel’s Echo
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is just the first stop on Daredevil’s whirlwind tour of the Marvel Universe. Cox is poised to appear next in the Echo series, which spins out of 2021’s Hawkeye series. Cox will be joined by fellow Daredevil veteran Vincent D’Onofrio, who will again play Wilson Fisk.
Echo is another logical choice for a Daredevil guest appearance, as Echo was originally introduced in the pages of Daredevil’s monthly comic. Hawkeye adapted elements of Echo’s debut storyline as it explored her twisted connection to Fisk. The spinoff series will no doubt delve deeper into that relationship, and Daredevil will almost surely become an important ally in Maya Lopez’s battle with her adoptive father.
Much like with She-Hulk, Daredevil understands the struggles Echo faces in her day-to-day life. The two become kindred spirits as heroes with disabilities and troubled pasts, and even become lovers for a time. But don’t expect Matt Murdock to stick around Echo’s neck of the woods for long.
What Is Daredevil: Born Again?
Thanks to Comic-Con and the detailed road map of Phase 5, we finally know when Daredevil will headline his own TV series again. Marvel will debut an 18-episode series called Daredevil: Born Again in 2024, starring both Cox and D’Onofrio.
That series takes its name from one of the most iconic Daredevil comics ever published. Written by Frank Miller and drawn by David Mazzucchelli, Born Again showcases Matt Murdock at the lowest point in his adult life. After his ex-girlfriend Karen Page sells Matt’s secret identity in exchange for drugs, Matt finds his life being systematically dismantled by Fisk. But even Daredevil hits rock bottom, the Kingpin is reminded that a man without hope is a man without fear.
Rather than treat this new series as an open-ended Daredevil adventure, Marvel seems intent on telling a finite story about the deep rivalry between Matt and Fisk. However, it’s worth remembering that Daredevil: Season 3 was already a loose adaptation of Born Again (among other comics). Should this be taken as a sign that the Netflix shows aren’t actually part of the MCU canon, despite some of the actors reprising their roles now? Will Born Again wipe the slate clean and start over where the Daredevil/Kingpin rivalry is concerned?
Or should we assume that Born Again will be akin to Avengers: Age of Ultron – an MCU project that shares the name of an existing Marvel Comics book but tells a very different story? At 18 episodes, there’s plenty of room for the series to expand and embellish the original graphic novel. Hopefully, we’ll see other Daredevil villains like Bullseye and The Owl.
We may also see a new take on Nuke, the drug-addicted super-soldier who appears in the climax of the comic and previously appeared in Jessica Jones: Season 2.
Daredevil in Spider-Man: Freshman Year
Cox is set to appear in at least one other MCU series in 2024. He’ll be voicing Daredevil in Spider-Man: Freshman Year, an animated series that chronicles Peter Parker’s earliest months as a superhero high schooler.
It’s not entirely clear whether Freshman Year is set within MCU continuity or a separate, similar universe. The fact that it’s introducing new versions of key Spider-Man villains like Norman Osborn, Doctor Octopus, Chameleon and Rhino certainly raises some questions. Who knew Peter had so much going on in his life before Tony Stark showed up?
Regardless of how or even if this series fits into MCU continuity, Freshman Year looks to be positioning Daredevil as an early mentor to Spidey. The two have a long history of teaming up in the comics. After all, they’re both street-level heroes who spend their free time protecting the innocent civilians of New York City. We may see Daredevil showing Spidey the ropes of being a vigilante and how to hone his superhuman senses.
Assuming Freshman Year is part of the MCU canon, the series could also add new context to Matt Murdock’s cameo in No Way Home. The movie never explains why Matt shows up to bail Peter out of trouble, but we may come to learn the two are old friends dating back to Peter’s early months on the job.
Which upcoming Daredevil appearance are you most excited for? Do you want to see Born Again build on the foundation of the Netflix series or blaze its own trail? Let us know in the comments.
There's tons of news for all your favorite shows, films, games, and more coming out of San Diego Comic-Con 2022, and we've got the full schedule to guide you through the weekend of panels, announcements, trailers, and surprises.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.