I have to be honest, I thought that Charlie Cox as Daredevil, Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin, and Jon Bernthal as Punisher were long gone! Then we got that sliver of hope in Spider-Man: No Way Home! However, I was still not 100 percent convinced that Daredevil was going to come back to the MCU, as it had been six years since the third season of Daredevil ended on Netflix. Even though Marvel said it was coming, I was still a little skeptical that it actually would.
Where to Watch Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again was released on March 4, 2025. You can stream the film from Disney+.
The TV Show Review
Say what you will about the Netflix and Marvel TV shows, but I thought they were all a lot of fun. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, The Punisher, and The Defenders all made for a fun little TV side of the MCU. Granted, they pulled the rug out from under us, leaving several massive cliff hangers, especially in Iron Fist and Luke Cage, but I still enjoyed them while they were on. I was super pumped when I heard that Daredevil was coming back, and the new show, Daredevil: Born Again, is a continuation of the Netflix series.
Do You Need to Watch the Netflix Marvel Shows First?
The big question is, do you need to have watched Daredevil, The Defenders, and all of the other Netflix era Marvel TV shows before watching this? I would say that it is not essential, but I would certainly recommend watching a YouTube video that recaps the three seasons of Daredevil and perhaps even The Punisher series, too. I would say that you do not need to know anything about the events of The Defenders, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. However, it is worth noting that Kingpin does play a significant role in the Disney+ show Echo, as well as appearing in Hawkeye.
Kingpin’s Return to Power in Daredevil: Born Again
Wilson Fisk, AKA Kingpin, is out of jail, and he is supposedly a changed man. Kingpin manages to rile the people of New York up and ends up elected Mayor of New York. He is just as ruthless and psycho as he was, but now he actually holds real political power, making it easier for him to shape the city in his image and also keep the criminals in check. Once again, Vincent D’Onofrio is amazing as Kingpin. He is so good, I honestly could not imagine anyone else playing this role.
Daredevil’s Dark Turn: Bullseye and the Roof Scene
Matt Murdoc, who is once again played by Charlie Cox, is celebrating with his friends, Foggy and Karen, when disaster strikes. Assassin, Bullseye, kills Foggy, and this sends Matt/Daredevil off the deep end, and he actually tries to kill Bullseye. The scene where Daredevil chases down Bullseye and just tosses him off the roof is fantastic. The whole time you are thinking, he won’t actually do it, but then he does, and it is quite a shocking scene, a scene that well and truly sets the tone of the series.
Martial Law in New York: Kingpin Versus Daredevil
With Kingpin now legally in charge of the city, Kingpin is pretty free to do what he wants, and he ends up unleashing martial law on the city, banning vigilantes, and of course, this puts him head to head with Daredevil once again. I loved the inner turmoil that Matt/Daredevil has with him wanting to give up the mask and try to move on, but deep down, he knows that his city needs him.
The Return of The Punisher: A Brief but Powerful Cameo
Part of the story that I loved, but it was way, way too short, was that which featured Frank Castle/The Punisher! Ever since I was a kid, I loved The Punisher; heck, I even loved the aged, horrible Dolph Lundgren Punisher movie! Jon Bernthal is amazing in this role, and it is a real shame he is only in it for a very limited amount of time. We need more Punisher in the MCU, so I really hope this is not the end for him.
Final Thoughts: A New Tone for Daredevil in the MCU
While I do not think that Daredevil: Born Again is quite as good as the Netflix series, I still thought that this was a very entertaining show. It is interesting in that it feels like it is part crime drama, part legal show, and part superhero show all rolled into one. My favorite parts of the show were those that featured Daredevil and Punisher together. I just wish that there were more of this.
