After years of speculation regarding the fate of Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, the character was finally returned in Spider-Man: No Way Home. There are, however, still a number of questions that remain unanswered when it comes to Matt Murdock’s future in the franchise. For instance, something that hasn’t been confirmed is whether the character will remain consistent with the darker tone established by his Netflix series. Marvel Studios is known for producing somewhat “lighter” fare that dwells in the PG-13 realm. With this, Cox has spoken on the possibility of his hero being tailored to suit that motif.
Daredevil’s gritty tone is one of the key elements that drew fans to the series in the first place. In 2015, amid the massive number of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, the Marvel TV production was viewed as somewhat of a novelty. Charlie Cox and his castmates also seemed to appreciate that their show could venture to some dark places. Yet while discussing the the prospect of a somewhat lighter take on the Man Without Fear, Cox provided optimistic thoughts:
I wouldn't put it past the folks at Marvel to be able to accomplish that. I'm such a fan of everything they've done so far, I wouldn't underestimate them at all. So if they wanted to make a more PG version of Daredevil, I back them to find a way to do where it feels totally in keeping with everything we've done. And maybe there's a little less blood, maybe there's a little whatever, but I back them to do it.
It’s true that not many would bet against Marvel Studios, as the company has more than proven itself over the past 14 years. This is greatly due to the shrewd creative decisions made by head honcho Kevin Feige. Given his track record, one would assume that he’s put a lot of thought into how he wants to portray Matt Murdock. Should he take the lighter route, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. Though while speaking with ComicBook.com, Charlie Cox did acknowledge that it could be a bit challenging to place the character in a “PG world”:
It absolutely can work, but I guess what you can't deny is Daredevil is never going to work as well in a PG world as Spider-Man does. Do you know what I mean? That's the point. I think that the age of the character, the Christian guilt, his history with women and stuff, it's like it's a little bit more mature, it has to be.
The jury may still be out regarding whether the lawyer/superhero is going to keep his edge, but a recent development may suggest that he will. Disney+ recently confirmed that it would be adding the fan-favorite Netflix series along with others like Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. Additionally, the streamer is planning to implement new parental controls to ensure that younger viewers don’t stumble upon the “mature” shows. If this is Disney’s way of telling us that it won’t edit the shows for content, then it could mean future productions will remain consistent. This is only personal speculation, of course, but there’s certainly a chance.
Tone aside, Charlie Cox is looking forward to at least one potential change for his Hell’s Kitchen-based vigilante: a change to his costume. The suit is solid as is, but it’s notably missing the character’s notable “DD” emblem. Like the actor, I’d also be eager to see that sort of “evolution” on screen.
The excitement surrounding Daredevil seems to be rising, with a petition to revive the show even gaining serious momentum. There’s currently no telling when we might officially see Charlie Cox suit up in the MCU, which is enough to make one anxious. It’ll be intriguing to see how Marvel approaches things but, with its past work and Cox’s endorsement, I trust the studio to land on the appropriate tone.
Daredevil and Netflix’s other former shows return to the streaming realm on March 16th, so be sure you have a Disney+ subscription to check them out. And if you’re looking to get more current, check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule to see what’s coming this year.
