Charlie Cox says the original plan for “Daredevil: Born Again” treated the character’s Netflix-era history as a separate timeline, and he says that approach confused audiences rather than clarifying anything. Cox spoke about the show’s early creative direction and the 2023 overhaul that followed, according to TVLine.
Marvel overhauled the series midway through production in 2023, TVLine reported. The streamer’s current season 3 is set to end the show in 2027.
What Cox Said About The Variant Approach
Cox said the initial idea was to position the version of Matt Murdock he plays in “Born Again” as a kind of variant of the character fans knew from the original Netflix “Daredevil.” “So there was a conversation about it being almost like a variant. You know, in the ‘Loki’ show, we talk about these variants.
It was almost like it was a variant. So it was another version of these characters existing in a world,” Cox said, according to TVLine.
The idea, Cox explained, was meant to give the show creative freedom without alienating viewers who never watched the Netflix series. He said the team “didn’t want to alienate an audience that hadn’t watched the [Netflix] show,” per TVLine.
In practice, Cox said the device backfired. When his dialogue contradicted events from the Netflix show, viewers didn’t read it as evidence of a parallel version of the character. “The problem became that whenever I said something that was in contrast to what we’d shot in the past, people thought I was lying. They didn’t think I was a variant, they thought I was being disingenuous,” Cox said.
Why Cox And D’Onofrio Pushed For A Change
The original Netflix “Daredevil” earned a reputation as one of the best superhero shows ever made, known for its gritty tone and its focus on organized crime. Cox and co-star Vincent D’Onofrio led the push in 2023 to steer “Born Again” back toward that tone when they felt the series was drifting from it.
Cox credited Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige and co-president Louis D’Esposito for backing the creative pivot. “We as a group of creatives had meetings with the bosses, and because those guys are creatives, they joined us in this endeavor to turn things around. Feige and D’Esposito, they back us 100% creatively.
They give us complete freedom. They never have once told us to back off, ever. They just keep saying, ‘Make it better, make it better,'” Cox said.
Showrunner Change And Season 3 Direction
Marvel did not renew the contract of showrunner Dario Scardapane for the series, with news of his exit surfacing online in September 2026, according to TVLine. Cox described the goal for the upcoming season as distinct from what came before while staying true to the character’s roots. “We are trying our hardest to make it different than the other two [seasons]. But at the same time, it’s super ‘Daredevil’-esque,” Cox said.
For fans who followed the original Netflix run, Cox’s comments suggest the show’s creative team has shifted away from treating that history as a parallel continuity and toward honoring it more directly. Marvel has not announced a premiere date for season 3. Readers can find more on the show’s creative shakeups in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 ending coverage and recent Marvel panel news from New York Comic Con 2026.
Cox also has other projects on the way, including his upcoming role detailed in Charlie Cox’s King’s Ransom debut. No premiere window for “Born Again” season 3 has been confirmed as of this report.
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