It's been quite a journey since the original Daredevil series on Netflix ended with Matt (Charlie Cox), Foggy (Elden Henson) and Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) dedicating themselves to a new law firm, Nelson, Murdock & Page.
Ad
First, in May 2022, it was confirmed that Matt Murdock's story would be continued in Daredevil: Born Again, which over time it became known was a soft-reboot. At one point, Foggy and Karen weren't even expected to appear.
Then, part way through filming, the show underwent a creative overhaul in 2023, delaying its release, but allowing the team to make crucial changes, including making it more of a direct continuation of the original show, and incorporating Foggy and Karen.
Now, showrunner Dario Scardapane, who came onboard as part of the overhaul, has revealed that he only agreed to do it if those characters were included.
Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) in Daredevil: Born Again Giovanni Rufino/Marvel
"That was actually one of the first things I said to the bosses," Scardapane said, when speaking with Empire.
"You can’t do this show without Karen and Foggy. They’re Matt’s family. They’re the heart of his world. You can’t take them out without explaining why, and if that explanation doesn’t ring true, don’t take them out."
Scardapane said that the show before the overhaul was "much less the world we knew, and more trying to blaze a new trail, but in doing so, they’d forgotten some things that really were necessary to the engine of the story".
Scardapane laughed as he said that he was "willing to lose a job over this one," before adding: "Because season 3 of the Netflix show ended with a dream, with the names on that napkin. If you don’t pay that off, you’re not giving your characters context. You can’t ignore that dream."
Along with Cox, Henson and Woll, Daredevil: Born Again will also see Vincent D'Onofrio, Ayelet Zurer, Jon Bernthal and Wilson Bethel reprising their roles.
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
