It’s a whirlwind in the entertainment world as Disney+’s upcoming show, Daredevil: Born Again, undergoes a significant transformation. The Hollywood Reporter unveiled that the anticipated series has hit the brakes, and not just in a minor way. This revamp came after a shutdown triggered by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. With under half of its 18 episodes completed, what could’ve prompted such a seismic shift?
What Led to the Overhaul?
The major point of contention? The series, according to Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, simply “wasn’t working.” Such a strong sentiment resulted in the discreet ousting of head writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman. If that wasn’t enough, the directors slated for the remainder of the series have also been shown the door. Now, Disney+ is on a frantic quest for fresh talent both in the writing and directing departments.
Feeling that Daredevil: Born Again was steering away from its renowned action-packed vibe, Marvel decided it was time to course-correct. Sources suggest that the series, under Ord and Corman, was heading in a more legal procedural drama direction. And for fans of the original Daredevil series, this was a major pivot. One significant revelation? Matt Murdock, also known as Daredevil, doesn’t don his iconic suit until the fourth episode, which left many feeling the series lacked its inherent dynamism.
Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s head honcho for streaming, TV, and animation, was quoted saying, “We’re trying to marry the Marvel culture with the traditional television culture. It comes down to, ‘How can we tell stories in television that honor what’s so great about the source material?
A clear indication that the vision for the future is to synergize the Marvel essence with what traditionally works on TV.
The Future of Daredevil: Born Again
Although a significant chunk of the filmed content may be relegated to the cutting room floor, it’s not all doom and gloom. Marvel plans on retaining “some scenes and episodes,” giving hope to fans. In an interesting twist, despite their recent firing, Ord and Corman will remain as executive producers.
Now that Daredevil Born Again is getting rehauled can we please please please bring them back pic.twitter.com/Qx33tnU2Jb
— 𝗠𝘂𝗸𝘀 | Choom Era (@mukumuks) October 11, 2023
Hinting at long-term ambitions, Daredevil: Born Again has been tagged as a two-season series. This comes as a reassurance for fans that, despite the internal challenges, the series has a envisioned future.
In line with their revised strategy, Marvel will be implementing a more structured approach to TV content creation. This means hiring dedicated showrunners, meticulously crafting show bibles, and even filming pilots. The aim? To gauge a series’ potential before green-lighting an entire season.
As for when viewers can catch Daredevil: Born Again on their screens, while we’re looking at a tentative timeframe of January 2025, fans will have to wait for an official premiere date from Disney+.
In the constantly evolving world of entertainment, it’s clear that even giants like Marvel aren’t immune to re-evaluations. One can only hope that this restructuring will breathe new life into Daredevil: Born Again and align it more closely with fans’ expectations.
