Marvel Daredevil: Born Again is arguably the most anticipated MCU TV show ever, marking the long-awaited (and proper) comeback of the Man Without Fear and Kingpin – but don’t read into the title too much.
October 19, 2018: the day that Daredevil Season 3 premiered on Netflix, and also the day that Marvel’s best TV show came to an end.
It was an extraordinary season of television, with Wilson Fisk recruiting Benjamin Poindexter – aka Bullseye – to bloodily besmirch Daredevil’s name as he tries to restore his reputation and marry Vanessa. Obviously, that doesn’t go to plan, and the new Disney Plus series will (sort of) continue the story.
However, while the show’s title will be familiar to comics readers, it’s more of a nod to an iconic story and the hero’s return than anything else.
Daredevil: Born Again isn’t an adaptation of Frank Miller’s comic
While it’s called Daredevil: Born Again, the series isn’t an adaptation of Frank Miller’s iconic comic book arc of the same name.
MarvelReleased between February and August 1986, Born Again is widely considered to be the greatest and most definitive Daredevil story ever told. In short, it follows Murdock’s fall (and rise) at the hands of Kingpin, who discovers his true identity and uses it to ruin his life.
But, as the comic’s synopsis teases, “just because Daredevil’s in Purgatory, doesn’t mean he’ll end up in Hell.”
Its DNA is baked into the original Netflix series, and while its tone and imagery were major sources of inspiration for the Disney Plus series, don’t expect it to hit the beats of the comic.
“I think it’s important to add as well that we’re not we’re not doing the Born Again story. The name of the show is just a reference to coming back off after many years and of course an homage to Frank Miller’s iconic run,” Charlie Cox explained at a press conference, which Dexerto attended.
As other fans have pointed out, Season 3 was basically an adaptation of the Born Again comic (albeit with a few notable changes). With the new series, Cox said they’re “trying find the best version of Matt Murdock…but in finding the best version, we also seek out the worst version.”
It’s also worth remembering the show’s bumpy road to the screen. The revival was originally developed by Matt Corman and Chris Ord, before it was overhauled by Dario Scardapane (who worked on The Punisher), Justin Benson, and Aaron Moorhead.
Rest assured, Daredevil will be born again on Disney Plus. “When we speak to fans… there’s a thirst for a quality and identity, a fabric of the show that we’ve we’ve had in the past, that you can’t necessarily articulate it or put your finger on it,” Cox said.
“There’s a sense of a worried desire for, ‘Is it gonna be there?’ And I hope they feel that it is. I think it is.
“Every now and again I meet a fan and they go, ‘Is the show as dark?’ And when I hear that, I have a smile, because I’m like, ‘Yeah, you’re gonna be okay.'”
Before Daredevil: Born Again premieres on March 4, check out our lists of the best MCU movies and the best superhero shows of all time. You can also keep tabs on the year’s releases with our 2025 TV show calendar.
