During the formation of any good team, there’s a moment where all involved just know it’s going to work. Judging by how people have reacted to Daredevil: Born Again’s run on the 2025 TV schedule, it’s safe to say that the world is sold on Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin and Charlie Cox’s Daredevil. You’d probably get a whole bunch of answers if you asked fans what moment convinced them of that fact, but the mayoral candidate for the New York seen in the MCU shows has one moment he likes to highlight as the ultimate proof of success.
You can thank GQ for this conversation, as a recent interview with D’Onofrio and Cox saw the co-stars watching clips from their Marvel resumes. One of the scenes selected was Kingpin’s conversation with “The Man Without Fear,” from the Season 1 episode "Condemned,” which prompted both men to share this anecdote from shooting:
- Vincent D’Onofrio: "He's talking to me on the walkie, and I'm off camera."
- Charlie Cox: "And we'd never worked together."
- D’Onofrio: "So I had no idea whether he could have been the shittiest actor I'd ever worked with. So, I was hiding behind some crates or something, doing off camera, so he couldn't see me, but I could see him. And we're talking, and he's doing really good with the dialogue and stuff, 'cause he's a great actor."
By the time Charlie Cox was cast to help reboot blind lawyer Matt Murdock for this eventual Disney+ subscription booster, the Irish actor had already racked up credits on shows such as Downton Abbey and Boardwalk Empire, as well as films like the Heath Ledger-starring Casanova. But to Vincent D’Onofrio’s credit, Daredevil’s titular lead wasn’t truly a known quantity until the meteoric response to the gritty streaming reboot.
Even as someone who’s not fully read into the lore, I can definitely agree with iconic actor who wowed the world with Full Metal Jacket and Men in Black, as well as his intriguing take on Wilson Fisk, which includes Daredevil: Born Again’s surprisingly entertaining therapy sessions. Between his experiences and his chops, I’m further inclined to agree with Mr. D’Onofrio’s further assessment of this scene, and why he knew he was on a winning team:
This is Kingpin and Daredevil, and it's gonna be great. And it was my first real feeling of 'My God, we're gonna be okay.' Because Daredevil works. It was amazing.
Outsiders and comic loyal skeptics alike kind of see shows like Daredevil: Born Again from a distance. But all anyone really needs to observe is how the crowd that’s truly invested in the result reacts; especially when you’ve got fans trying to piece together how Daredevil should fit in the MCU.
If you went solely on Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio’s interview above, you can tell that there’s something magic happening here. That's something important to remember, even if Born Again’s Rotten Tomatoes feedback may tell a different story.
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