Original Daredevil Sequel Plan Can Finally Be Told In MCU’s Born Again

Now that Matt Murdock is in the MCU, the original plan for the sequel to 2003's Daredevil can finally be told in Marvel Studios' Daredevil: Born Again. Mark Steven Johnson's 2003 Daredevil film starred future Batman actor, Ben Affleck, as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, a role which would later be taken on by Charlie Cox for Marvel Television's Daredevil series on Netflix. The original Daredevil film released in an era where superhero movies were only just starting to become more popular, with the releases of Blade in 1998 and X-Men in 2000 helping to boost public awareness of comic book movies, but this didn't save it from falling at the first hurdle.

Despite mixed reviews, 2003's Daredevil led to a spinoff centered on Elektra Natchios, portrayed by Jennifer Garner, which was originally supposed to lead into a sequel to Daredevil, which would have seen Affleck suit up once again as the Man Without Fear. However, 2006 saw hopes for a sequel crumble after Affleck suggested he'd never play another superhero, though he would later go on to star as Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, in DC's Batrman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and subsequent projects. For Daredevil's 20th anniversary, Johnson spoke to Yahoo Entertainment to reveal more about what a Daredevil sequel would have included.

Johnson’s Daredevil Sequel Would Have Shown Matt Murdock & Karen Page’s Relationship

ellen pompeo as karen page in 2003 daredevil

2003's Daredevil focused primarily on Matt Murdock's whirlwind romance with Elektra Natchios, something that was also explored in the second season of Daredevil on Netflix, but a sequel to Johnson's film would have investigated the budding relationship between Murdock and Karen Page. Ellen Pompeo portrayed Page in Daredevil, but was given a small role as the secretary in Murdock and Franklin "Foggy" Nelson's law firm. Any storyline featuring Pompeo's Karen Page in Daredevil was brushed aside to make way for the more dramatic and intense romance forming between Daredevil and Elektra, despite Page being a prominent love-interest in Marvel Comics.

Netflix’s Daredevil Teased A Relationship Between Matt Murdock & Karen Page

charlie cox as matt murdock and deborah ann woll as karen page in daredevil on netflix

After initially expressing interest in developing a sequel to 2003's Daredevil, Marvel Studios decided to reboot the story after reacquiring the rights to the character in 2013, producing the Daredevil series for Netflix. This series saw Charlie Cox portray the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, while Deborah Ann Woll played a much more fleshed-out version of Karen Page than Pompeo's, with complex stories spanning three seasons, during which a relationship between Matt Murdock and Karen Page was relentlessly teased. This did lead to a short-lived romance between the pair in Daredevil season 2, but funnily enough this was again halted by the arrival of Elektra, now played by Élodie Yung.

While Marvel Television's Daredevil certainly gave more attention to the relationship between Matt Murdock and Karen Page than Johnson's 2003 film, the coupling still didn't really carry the weight it deserved. Daredevil season 1 teased the romance so much that the failed attempt at going on a few dates in season 2 simply didn't pack the punch that it perhaps should have, especially when the characters' Marvel Comics counterparts shared a long-running and far more substantial romance. This is something that Marvel Studios' Daredevil: Born Again could explore, finally doing justice to the storyline teased in 2003's Daredevil and Netflix's reboot.

Karen Page Was Daredevil’s Original Comic Love Interest

karen page with daredevil in marvel comics

Debuting in Marvel Comics' first issue of Daredevil in 1964, Karen Page became Matt Murdock's original love interest, a romance that lasted until her death in 1999's Daredevil (Vol. 2) #5. The fact that Page was such a prominent love interest for Matt Murdock in Marvel Comics means it's surprising that no live-action adaptation has properly explored this relationship. Netflix's Daredevil came close, accurately demonstrating the tumultuous aspects of Murdock and Page's relationship, but failed to focus as intensely on their love as the comics did.

Karen Page and Matt Murdock's prominent on-again off-again romance in Marvel Comics needs to be told properly and to its fullest in the MCU now that Charlie Cox has reprised his role in Phase 4. In Marvel Comics, Page is a huge part of many storylines connected to Daredevil, and a very notable presence in his life both as Matt Murdock and as Daredevil, so it was a mistake for Johnson's Daredevil to completely omit this relationship, and a mistake for Netflix's Daredevil to never follow-through with the pair's dynamic. Marvel Studios can bring this story to life once Daredevil: Born Again releases in the MCU's Phase 5.

Daredevil: Born Again Will Explore Matt Murdock’s Personal Life

matt murdock in mcu daredevil suit in she-hulk attorney at law

After previous appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Charlie Cox is set to portray Matt Murdock in several projects, including Echo, but most notably his own 18-episode solo series, Daredevil: Born Again. While not much is known about the Daredevil-centric Disney+ series, recent casting choices have led many to speculate that Matt Murdock will have a variety of love interests in the series, even after apparently striking up a relationship with Jennifer Walters, a.k.a. She-Hulk, in the MCU's Phase 4.

While Daredevil: Born Again will certainly deliver a lot of Daredevil action, the series will also be a much more grounded exploration of Daredevil's personal life, including his dynamics with friend Foggy Nelson and various romantic partners, while trying to keep his anonymity secure. This creates the perfect opportunity for his long-running romance with Karen Page to be explored in greater detail, as key storylines from Marvel Comics can be adapted as accurately as possible with Page in the picture. Though it hasn't been confirmed whether Woll will reprise her role from the Netflix series, it's likely that Karen Page will be a pivotal figure in Daredevil's MCU story.

How Will She-Hulk: Attorney At Law Affect Daredevil’s Romantic Life?

Daredevil and Jennifer Walters kissing in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law

Matt Murdock's prior MCU appearances have already created a problem for Daredevil's love life going forward, since She-Hulk: Attorney at Law seemed to suggest that he and Walters are the perfect fit for each other. Despite appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home as Peter Parker and Happy Hogan's lawyer, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law marked the first appearance of Daredevil's new MCU costume, donning a comic-accurate red-and-gold superhero suit, which seemed to do it for Tatiana Maslany's Jennifer Walters. Murdock's intervention in Walters' West Coast adventures as She-Hulk will surely be a one-time thing, however, as Daredevil operates primarily out of New York.

It's likely that Daredevil: Born Again will confirm Matt Murdock and Jennifer Walters' to be nothing more than a spur-of-the-moment fling, which will open the door for Murdock to pursue new romantic relationships after his return to Hell's Kitchen. While this could take a variety of forms, including perhaps the MCU's introduction of Elektra Natchios, a prominent love interest for Daredevil in the comics, the most worthy candidate for Murdock's affections is surely Karen Page. By putting Page and Murdock's relationship front-and-center, Daredevil: Born Again can gloss over the missteps in previous Daredevil projects, and bring one of the most vibrant Marvel Comic relationships to life.

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