“It’s the same Matt Murdock”: Charlie Cox and cast on Daredevil: Born Again

Ahead of the long-awaited return of Matt Murdock to the screen, the cast and creatives behind Daredevil: Born Again – including Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, showrunner Dario Scardapane, and executive producers Sana Scarpadane, Brad Winderbaum, Justin Benson and Brad Winderbaum – delved into the evolution of Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk, the heightened stakes of the new series, and the creative direction taken to honour the original run’s rich legacy. During the global press conference, they provided insight into the Disney+ series’ development, its themes and the exciting new dynamics that will unfold.

Cox, reprising his role as the beloved lawyer-turned-vigilante, discussed Matt Murdock’s journey, highlighting how his past continues to weigh on him as Born Again begins. “Some time has passed since the end of season three,” he noted, revealing that his character must “rethink and rediscover his identity in a way that is probably more profound than we’ve seen before.” However, he reassured fans of the superhero that, despite these changes, the core of the character remains unchanged. “For fans of the original show, it’s the same Matt Murdock, essentially, just influenced by his experiences.”

D’Onofrio, returning as the ever-intimidating Wilson Fisk, spoke about the dynamic between the two long-time adversaries. He described their relationship as a struggle between two broken men attempting to live in the daylight. “If you can think about the metaphor of vampires trying to live in the daylight, it’s a struggle that they’re going through,” he explained. “You can’t put us together in the same scene too often because it’s not as powerful if you do that.”

Showrunner Dario Scardapane teased the introduction of new trials and tribulations for both Murdock and Fisk, including the arrival of the enigmatic villain Muse straight from the comic books. “Muse is one of those stressors,” he revealed. “And what happens with Muse creates a ripple effect that extends beyond this season into the future.” D’Onofrio agreed, adding, “It’s scary, dark, and creepy.”

Aside from the return of Murdoch’s closest friends, Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), one of the biggest surprises was the reappearance of Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, aka The Punisher. Although details remained sparse, Cox spoke enthusiastically about working with Bernthal again: “Whenever he shows up, it’s an absolute delight.” He also hinted that Bernthal’s scenes would be intense, adding, “He pulls me closer to a Daredevil that I’m frightened of and excited by.”

As the event concluded, Cox reflected on their hopes for the series and addressed fans’ expectations. He acknowledged, “There’s a thirst for a quality, an identity, a fabric of the show that we’ve had in the past – I hope they feel that it is there.” D’Onofrio echoed that sentiment, expressing his desire for fans to enjoy the show’s return: “We worked really hard on it, and we all believed in the fans. We worked towards what we felt they wanted the whole time.”

Christina Yang

Daredevil: Born Again is released on Disney+ on 4^th March 2025.

Watch the trailer for Daredevil: Born Again here: