BY MATT TUCK
Daredevil fans, rejoice. There’s word that Netflix’s defunct show with the original cast will be reprised for Disney+.
Sounds great, right? There’s one hitch. According to Movieweb, instead of a true fourth season, the DD reunion would be incorporated into the possible Echo series, which will spin out of Hawkeye.
While that sounds plausible, there have been so many rumors and gossip for three years now that it is hard to take any of it too seriously. Still, could this be the one cast into the ocean that is internet rumors that finally gets a bite?
THREE YEARS LATER
It’s been three years since the close of the Netflix-verse. In 2018, Marvel and Netflix ended their partnership. Around that time, Disney had announced intentions to develop its own streaming platform. Surely that meant Marvel would at least keep the beloved Daredevil alive, right? Here we are three years later, and still, no DD.
It’s not like DD is the only show featured in the rumor mill. All the former Netflix characters have seen their share of gossip, but none have turned into more than Kevin Feige saying that, yes, he will do something with the characters...at some point.
Despite the lack of official news, fans have kept the properties alive. Seemingly every three-to-six months, a fresh round of gossip creeps up. With that in mind, let’s delve into the best theories and rumors that have been making the rounds in recent months.
DAREDEVIL
Of all the Netflix properties, Daredevil was the first and widely considered the best series to date. After only three glorious seasons, fans were heartbroken when Marvel and Netflix parted ways, and Daredevil was given the axe.
Whenever there is a series as lauded by fans and critics alike, that there will always be an outcry to resurrect it. This is doubly true when a hugely popular show ends as abruptly as Daredevil. That explains why there have been so many rumors of a series reprisal on Disney+. These days, the gossip has extended past the bounds of a renewed television series and into the world of Marvel movies.
For the past year, many fans have been certain that Charlie Cox was on the set of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and that he would appear in the movie as Peter Parker’s lawyer. Despite Cox himself proclaiming to Entertainment Weekly that, no, he is not in the movie, the theories of Matt Murdock leading Peter’s legal defense have persisted.
Another rumor claims that since time has expired on the Netflix deal that means Marvel is getting the ball rolling on a continuation of the Daredevil series right where Netflix left off.
If there is a DD Season Four, the Echo scenario is the most likely. In the comics origin, this actually makes sense. Like Elektra, Echo is a trained assassin who worked for Kingpin, which leads us into the next part of this rumor. It would serve as a proper send off for Daredevil and company while also allowing Wilson Fisk to shift from one show to another.
KINGPIN
There have been so many Kingpin rumors that he deserves his own subhead for today’s post. Actor Vincent D’Onofrio turned in a tour de force performance and effectively made the heinous villain a fan-favorite character. He was arguably more popular than even Daredevil. That being said, it is no surprise that fans want him to return to the screen in any form. D’Onofrio has publicly stated his desire to continue in the role, which only fuels the fan theories.
In fact, Charlie Cox was not the only DD actor rumored for No Way Home. Before he was rumored to appear in the film, there was a prevailing theory that D’Onofrio would appear in No Way Home as the Kingpin. With a cast packed with villains, it would not seem logical for Kingpin to be part of NWH, but that did not slow down those theorists anxious to see anyone from Daredevil return to the MCU.
Earlier this year, a new rumor cropped up, and this one is much more believable. The idea is that D’Onofrio will play Kingpin in the upcoming Hawkeye Disney+ series. There are two factors that give this theory validity: Echo and D’Onofrio himself.
It has already been confirmed that Echo will make her MCU debut in Hawkeye. From there, she reportedly will star in her own spinoff series. In the comics, Echo has a history with Kingpin. After he killed her father, she spends her time seeking revenge on Wilson Fisk. The gossip sites claim that when the Echo series debuts on Disney+, her antagonist will be D’Onofrio’s Kingpin.
While that sounds like a valid plot, D’Onofrio caused a stir in July when he liked a Tweet claiming that he would be in Hawkeye. Although no one has offered even the slightest confirmation of this, many fans are convinced that it is all but official at this point.
Since then, D’Onofrio has hinted that none of this is true. Last month, he issued another Tweet asking fans not to read too much into the things he posts. When has that ever stopped the DD faithful? Let’s face it; Andrew Garfield has repeatedly denied his involvement in No Way Home, and he has publicly said that fans will be disappointed if they look for him in the movie. Still, the rumors persist, and the Kingpin gossip seems to be in the same boat.
It would seem that instead of the Kingpin, Wilson Fisk is more of a linchpin. If we trace the convoluted theories, he and Echo will start their fight in Hawkeye. From there, he will make a guest appearance in No Way Home before sliding into the Echo series for one last battle with DD.
THE PUNISHER
The Punisher rumors have gotten to the point of being ridiculous. From Frank Castle getting his own Disney+ show to him appearing in No Way Home as well, there have been all sorts of gossip about the Punisher. My favorite was the theory that he would be join Blade and Ghost Rider in a Midnight Sons adaptation. Maybe I am forgetting my Punisher history, but I don’t believe vampire hunting and the supernatural were things he added to his resume. There’s also been gossip that he will suit up as War Machine armor for Armor Wars.
Since the summer, the most common claim is that Jon Bernthal will return to the role of Frank Castle for a series of guest spots on Moon Knight. Like the DD rumors, there has not been even a hint that this is true from anyone at Marvel, so take it for what it’s worth. Still, the idea of Moon Knight and Punisher fighting each other and trading verbal jabs sounds fun.
JESSICA JONES
Every single protagonist from Marvel’s Netflix lineup has rumors tied to them, and that includes the fan-favorite superhero private investigator, Jessica Jones.
Not as much has been said about her compared to the rest of the Netflix-verse, but she has not been left out. There was a report from CBR that star Krysten Ritter was in talks with Marvel Studios to revive Jessica Jones on Disney+. The most persistent gossip here is that she will be part of the Disney+ She-Hulk show.
HEROES FOR HIRE
For years now, there have been ongoing rumors about Luke Cage and his soulmate, Iron Fist. At first, fans wanted to believe that Mike Colter and Finn Jones would return to the MCU in their Netflix, sans Netflix. Then the gossip began to swirl that Marvel wasn’t interested in bringing either character back to the screen, at least not for a while.
The latest rumors from earlier this year claim that Marvel is indeed considering a return for both characters, but Colter and Jones will not be reprising their roles. Prior to the premiere of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the world on the internet was that an all-new Iron Fist would appear in that film. When we got our first look at the trailer, Ying Li’s yellow and green clothing led to theories that she was either the new Iron Fist or was somehow connected to Kun Lun. When those proved to be untrue, it led to even more rumors and theories.
This time, the attention shifted from simply Iron Fist alone to pairing him with Luke Cage to form the fabled Heroes for Hire. Considering the overwhelming popularity of Marvel’s streaming shows, it made sense that the idea would be for Luke and Danny to team up on Disney+. Again, the rumor is that Colter and Jones would be left out while new actors would be cast for the roles.
PROGNOSIS: UNLIKELY
Do you see a pattern here? From the moment the first Netflix cancellation came down the pike, there has been an endless stream of positive thinking. It truly is a testament to the enduring popularity of the Netflix-verse, and fans will never stop fawning for their favorites until Marvel Studios finally does something with the properties. Sooner or later, that is going to happen, but the sheer abundance of rumors over the three-year period is painting a portrait that grows more clear by the month: Daredevil, Punisher, Jessica Jones, and Heroes for Hire will eventually return, but the days of the Netflix-verse are over.
Matt Tuck is the author of the novel, Lost Bones of the Dead. He is a professional writer, avid comic collector, former teacher, and an international man of mystery. You can follow him on his Facebook page, The Comic Blog.