Daredevil: Born Again Showrunner Addresses Defenders (& Spider-Man) In Season 2

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Warning: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Season 1

In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly after the intense Season 1 finale of “Daredevil: Born Again,” showrunner Dario Scardapane discussed potential appearances of other Defenders characters or even Spider-Man in Season 2. As Matt Murdock plans to rally an army against Wilson Fisk, Scardapane clarified that while he often considers these characters, they won’t be introduced unless it aligns with the series’ narrative flow. Additionally, he provided insights on the conditions under which Spider-Man might team up with Daredevil.

In simpler terms, Scardapane mentioned that while working in the MCU’s Hell’s Kitchen area, it’s inevitable to think about the famous characters associated with that location. To enrich the narrative, particularly one where Fisk controls the city, he intends to introduce characters from Matt’s past and relationships that contribute to the storyline. This is a rebellion against Fisk, so various individuals, including vigilantes and superheroes, will likely be involved due to the city’s situation. However, the aim is to make this integration feel natural and not forced; it should be justified by the story itself.

Regarding the subject of Spider-Man, Scardapane clarified that for a collaboration to occur, someone else from Marvel would need to initiate the conversation. “Our area is Hell’s Kitchen, which is somewhat distant from Avengers Tower. We mostly stick to our neighborhood until someone says, ‘What about…?!’ When people in higher positions or those involved in other shows or movies express curiosity about our universe, we receive a response like, ‘What do you think of…?’ However, I haven’t received any such queries regarding Spider-Man yet.

Back in the latter half of the 2010s, Netflix’s Marvel series centered around street-level heroes culminated in a joint venture known as The Defenders. This formidable team included Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. Ever since those Netflix productions concluded, the future of numerous characters within this group has been uncertain. As we eagerly await the debut of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum hinted that they are contemplating the return of the remaining Defenders, yet no official announcements have been made as of now.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil and Spider-Man have had encounters; Charlie Cox made a guest appearance in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”. Additionally, Spider-Man was mentioned by Kingpin during the plotting of his strategy to control vigilante actions in New York City within the first season of “Born Again”.

As a dedicated movie critic, I can’t help but envision Matt Murdock rallying forces for an imminent confrontation with Wilson Fisk and his formidable task force. In such a perilous situation, it would only make sense for him to reach out to the Defenders, a team whose combined abilities are crucial in this battle for justice. The climactic events of “Daredevil: Born Again” Season 1, with Fisk establishing martial law in New York and incarcerating vigilantes, provide an ideal narrative foundation for the return of our beloved heroes like Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. It would be a tragedy if their comeback after years away resulted in minimal involvement, so it’s crucial that the creative team ensures their roles are meaningful and impactful, just as Scardapane intends.

As a die-hard film fan, I’ve been pondering the intricacies surrounding Spider-Man, especially since it seems his cinematic journey may be more complex than meets the eye. You see, there’s this lingering uncertainty about potential rights issues that could potentially pose a challenge.

In a recent interview, Vincent D’Onofrio shed some light on this matter, stating that his character, Kingpin, is unlikely to make an appearance in a Marvel movie due to being “only usable for television series.” Kingpin finds himself stuck between Marvel and Sony, much like Tom Holland’s Peter Parker might be, as he seems to be restricted to feature films only.

Now, it’s not uncommon for a character like Kingpin to be mentioned in dialogue with an ambiguous “spider symbol” reference in a comic like Born Again. However, translating that into an on-screen appearance might not be as straightforward as we’d hope.

That said, if Disney and Sony truly wanted to, they could likely work something out to bring about a united front for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. It’s all about finding the right web of connections!

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2025-04-19 06:42