Ben Affleck’s ‘Daredevil’ Was an Absolute Misfire, but Marvel Can Make It Up to Us by Giving Charlie Cox His Own MCU Movie

Charlie Cox recently made his full return as Matt Murdock with Daredevil: Born Again, but I remember the time when Ben Affleck was the first actor to don the Man without Fear’s horns in the 2003 Daredevil movie. All the pieces were in place for it to be a success: Affleck was joined by a star-studded cast that included Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Colin Farrell as Bullseye, and the late, great Michael Clarke Duncan as Daredevil’s archnemesis Wilson Fisk. Director Mark Steven Johnson drew from some classic Daredevil comics, including Frank Miller‘s iconic Daredevil run and Kevin Smith‘s “Guardian Devil” storyline (Miller and Smith even make cameos in the film). To top it all off, Daredevil was following Sam Raimi‘s first Spider-Man, whose blockbuster success was a major factor in kickstarting the superhero movie boom.

Daredevil was a solid box office success, even with unflattering reviews. I saw Daredevil in theaters with my family, and it’s a film that’s stuck in the early 2000s: moody lighting, brooding monologues from Affleck, and plenty of alternative music, including not one, but two tracks from Evanescence. But honestly? I’ve seen far worse, particularly 2015’s Fantastic Four. While Daredevil would eventually be rebooted when Cox took over the role, I feel like there’s still a chance for a Daredevil film to work.

There Have Been Several Attempts To Bring Another Daredevil to the Big Screen

Long before I started writing about movies and TV, I’d read up on the history of unmade films in the superhero genre. It turns out that even after Daredevil didn’t take off, there were attempts to continue the franchise before Charlie Cox was cast. While the most well-known effort is probably 2005’s Elektra, 20th Century Fox would tap David Slade to direct a reboot in 2011. Prior to that, Jason Statham expressed his interest in playing the Man Without Fear. “Absolutely, just give me the chance, I would love to be Daredevil,” he told the Los Angeles Times at San Diego Comic-Con 2008, with Frank Miller giving his blessing. In all honesty, I could definitely see Statham pulling off a grittier take on Matt Murdock, and Slade had experience with the comic book genre thanks to his work on the vampire thriller 30 Days of Night, which was based on Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith‘s comic miniseries of the same name. Joe Carnahan also pitched a Daredevil film that would have been set in the 1970’s, and the sizzle reel he threw together for the project feels as much in line with the gritty aesthetic of Taxi Driver as it does with the Daredevil comics.

Neither Slade nor Carnahan’s visions would come to pass, as the rights to Daredevil reverted from Fox to Marvel Studios. But Slade did give a little insight into his vision while discussing Hannibal, revealing that he intended to make a period piece similar to what Carnahan had pitched: “It’s in the ’70s, Kingpin is going through New York dealing with the Irish mafia, and there’s Daredevil in the yellow suit. It was all there! You know, it’s a big studio film and it’s tougher…there are certain people who are really good at that, and I hope to be really good at that. I will continue to try my best.” I have to admit, a gritty ’70s crime thriller is the perfect fit for Daredevil, while films like X-Men: First Class prove that superhero period pieces do work.

A Movie Would Let Charlie Cox’s Daredevil Interact More With the MCU

Daredevil’s return to the big screen wouldn’t just allow Charlie Cox to have a bigger role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it would also allow him to fully interact with other heroes. While it’s fun to see him deal with Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), previous MCU projects have had fun placing Matt Murdock alongside other heroes. Spider-Man: No Way Home has a thrilling scene where Matt briefly gives Peter Parker (Tom Holland) legal advice, and I’ll always go to bat for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and the dynamic it created between Matt and Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany).

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Maybe Daredevil can’t have a big-screen clash with Vincent D’Onofrio‘s Kingpin, but there are plenty of foes and friends he could find on the silver screen. If a Daredevil movie got a similar push as Deadpool & Wolverine got, it could potentially reach similar heights. All Marvel needs is the right director, the right story, and the right timing. But Ben Affleck’s Daredevil shouldn’t be the only time Matt Murdock is seen on the big screen.

Daredevil

Release Date

February 14, 2003

Runtime

103 minutes

Director

Mark Steven Johnson

Writers

Mark Steven Johnson, Frank Miller

Producers

Arnon Milchan, Avi Arad, Bernard Williams, Gary Foster