Summary
Daredevil: Born Againkeeps fanning the flames of hype. Already set to feature a rich array of villains, including Kingpin, Bullseye, and Muse, an unexpected cameo from Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the Disney+ series could seal the deal for Daredevil fans. But it may depend on Sony.
Despite being a familiar face in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man is still not entirely within Marvel Studios’ control. A 2015deal between Sony and Disney-owned Marvel Studiosbirthed the MCU’s Spider-Man, with some conditions attached. The latter is allowed to include Spider-Man in their franchise and has done so in a trilogy and twoAvengersmovies while Sony retains significant authority over solo films—and also gets a share of the revenue from movies the Arachnid Avenger features in. But the complexities associated with film rights mean that there is uncertainty over cameos in projects such asDaredevil: Born Again.
Responding to talks in a recent interview about Kevin Feige negotiating a deal with Sony to have full control over Spider-Man, especially in non-solo and non-Avengersfilms,Alex Perez of the Cosmic Circus, threw in a nice filler: Spider-Man may be getting a cameoin Disney+ TV-MA series,Daredevil: Born Again. “I know they are trying to get him to appear in a short cameo inDaredevil: Born Againas a tease that Fisk and his Punishers are hunting vigilantes like him down…” However, Perez also cautioned that the chances of this happening are uncertain.
“I don’t know if it’ll pan out that we’ll physically see him.”
Since Charlie Cox’sMatt Murdock made his MCU debutinSpider-Man: No Way Home—where he dishes legal advice to Peter Parker, Happy, and Aunt May—it seems only natural for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to return the favor in the Daredevil series. That Spider-Man’s appearance is ironically tangled in a web spun by Sony and Marvel, despite the latter’s push to unhinge any hurdles to his integration in the MCU fully, would likely not sit well with fans of the Man Without Fear hoping to witness a high-profile addition—however brief—to the characters inDaredevil: Born Again.
If—or when, for optimism’s sake—Spider-Man does poke his face inDaredevil: Born Again, fans would likely relish the first live-action meeting between the web-slinger andVincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk(Kingpin), or tag-teaming with Matt Murdock should he find himself in a bind, as opposed to another legal counsel session. However, Perez’s comments suggest that Spider-Man might only be included to drive home the point of Kingpin, set to be the mayor of New York in the series, cracking down on friendly neighborhood vigilantes like him. So, although a meeting between Spider-Man and Kingpin or Daredevil would undeniably be thrilling, it’s unlikely to lead to any major confrontations. Touted by Marvel executives and cast members as one of theMCU’s most gory and brutal TV shows, the decision forDaredevil: Born Againto sit out any Spider-man combat makes sense.
While scheduling conflicts for Tom Holland—who is set to appear inSpider-Man 4,Avengers: Doomsday,Avengers: Secret Wars, and amysterious Christopher Nolan film—could be a factor in denying his appearance inDaredevil: Born Again, fingers would likely always be pointed at the creative and licensing agreements between Sony and Marvel for closing several doors to MCU cameos for Spider-Man. And given Sony’s hit-or-miss record with live-action adaptations of the roughly 900 Spider-Man characters at its disposal, fans would hope for nothing less than a positive outcome for Marvel Studios.
Daredevil: Born Again
Cast
After Charlie Cox’s cameo appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home and supporting role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Daredevil: Born Again gives Matt Murdock his first show set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Daredevil: Born Again continues the story that started in Netflix’s three-season Daredevil series and sees Wilson Fisk ascend to mayor of New York City.
