On April 15, Marvel Studios premiered the season finale for their revival series “Daredevil: Born Again,” proving that grounded storytelling can be just as gripping as any multiversal epic. The series drops its audience into the dark, battered heart of Hell’s Kitchen and into a new era for one of Marvel’s most beloved heroes. From the very first frame, it’s clear this is not just a return — it’s a reckoning. Raw, introspective and tense, “Daredevil: Born Again” redefines what it means to fall and rise.
After years of fans’ longing for the continuation of Netflix’s “Daredevil,” Disney+ picks up where it left off. While season three of Netflix’s “Daredevil” loosely adapted the “Born Again” comic arc, Disney+ draws from the “Shadowlands” storyline for its revival. In the season, there is a more worn and fractured Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) who has given up being Daredevil. The series doesn’t waste time setting the tone: cold, unforgiving, yet human. By the end of episode one, fans of the original show understand the absence of the beloved Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, and it’s justified. The show leans into the emotional fallout of the faulty choices made off-screen that led to their leave. Instead of writing around them, the narrative uses their absence to deepen Matt’s Isolation.
The silences in his life are loud and speak volumes.
Charlie Cox is phenomenal, slipping back into the role with added layers of pain, restraint and quiet fury. This is not the man from Netflix’s “Daredevil.” This one is sadder, more burdened by guilt and visibly worn down. One standout moment shows Matt getting ready to go to his new firm. In the process of doing that, he places a notecard in braille. No words are spoken, but the sadness in his movements and face says it all. This is what “Daredevil: Born Again” does best — it lets emotions breathe.
However, for longtime fans, one detail looms large: his Catholicism is missing. In both the comics and the original Netflix series, Matt’s faith is a cornerstone. His spiritual torment often mirrored his physical battles — church pews, whispered prayers, confessions of violence and guilt. But in the revival, those moments are almost entirely gone.
There is only a passing reference to his faith — a fleeting reminder that Matt often wavers between devotion and distance. But here, he doesn’t return. He doesn’t even try. The silence from the church isn’t just a background detail; it’s a symbol that something within Matt is broken. His absence from prayer reflects his absence from purpose. When he walked away from being Daredevil, he walked away from his religion, too.
Then there’s a deeper layer a few might have noticed on first viewing: “Daredevil: Born Again” started and ended with Lent. Lent is about sacrifice and is traditionally a time of reflection, fasting and waiting for resurrection. That’s no coincidence, as season two has been confirmed to air in March 2026, at the start of Lent. Matt and Wilson Fisk both attempt to lay down parts of themselves — their identities, their roles in the city — in pursuit of something better. Matt avoids the mask. Fisk chases legitimacy through politics. But in the end, both men drift back into the very roles they tried to abandon.
Kingpin’s return brings back the same terrifying yet poised presence he’s known for, with Vincent D’Onofrio delivering the same calculating menace he brought as Wilson Fisk — this time with more gravitas. He’s no longer a blunt instrument — he’s a scalpel, cutting the system as Mayor Fisk to fit his needs. His monologues are not quite as poetic as those in Netflix’s “Daredevil” but still carry the same venom, with a calmer facade. In one scene, he’s speaking at a charity gala, masked in civility and then the camera cuts to the back room where his goons are quietly taking someone down. It’s a perfect metaphor — the mask of respectability hiding raw violence underneath.
The fight choreography in “Daredevil: Born Again” is different from the Netflix series, not lesser, just more intentional. The action is stripped down and personal. Matt isn’t dodging bullets like a superhuman. He’s fighting for breath, scrambling for footing, bleeding in nearly every scene. The show is missing the iconic hallway fight scenes, which is disheartening. While the few fight scenes are stellar, they are overshadowed by too much blood and gore. One could argue that Muse, one of the villains being brought to the screen, needed the blood; it felt like Disney+ was trying too hard to demonstrate they are adults now.
Visually, the show captures bold choices, some working better than others. The animation and computer-generated imagery (CGI) moments, particularly in enhanced movement sequences, allow for more comic-accurate agility. But this comes at a cost — the gritty, practical stunt work that defined Daredevil’s realism is dialed back. When stunts are used, they’re incredible, making the superhuman feel almost possible. But the more exaggerated effects, and even the brighter color of the new Daredevil suit, pull away from the grounded tone fans adored.
The storyline, while a bit slow at times, is tightly written and layered with emotional depth. The show isn’t afraid to lean into darkness, reflecting the broken state of its characters and the city itself. Dialogue is consistently strong, with visual storytelling that complements every character’s emotional arc. One thematic standout is the show’s commentary on real-world issues ranging from systemic corruption to justice reform. The show gives weight to the vigilante story without beating the viewer over the head.
However, not all characters get the spotlight they deserve. Newcomers like Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva) seem underdeveloped, their charm not quite clicking in the way the original side characters did. The niece of Ben Urich, BB Urich, portrayed by Genneya Walton, is a young journalist introduced with promise but given little payoff. Muse, portrayed by Hunter Doohan and known for his work in “Wednesday” as Tyler, was also a character fans expected to make waves, but ended up sidelined. Yet, this underdevelopment ironically works in favor of the show’s tone, portraying a darker world where not everyone gets to be the hero.
While the side characters falter, the core cast is what makes “Born Again” soar. Vanessa Fisk (Ayelet Zurer) returns with manipulative grace, stirring genuine anger in audiences. Kingpin and Daredevil are the beating heart of this show; the duality, the moral greys, the ideological war are all there.
“Daredevil: Born Again” also succeeds in something that Marvel’s recent projects have struggled with: making the world feel connected. With appearances and references made by Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” “Hawkeye” and “Echo,” the show feels like a central connector in Marvel’s blueprint for heroes taking up local crime. It looks like Charlie Cox is being set up as the leader of Marvel’s justice-seeking heroes, or possibly the young Avengers, because this show is the best possible starting point for that.
Overall, “Daredevil: Born Again” is a gritty, gripping return for the “Man Without Fear.” Although the show is not perfect, the emotional weight, exceptional acting, and strong sense of worldbuilding make it a must-watch.
Yes, the costumes could be less flashy. Yes, Foggy is deeply missed. And yes, we need more hallway fights. But the core? It’s solid, it’s smart, and it leaves audiences wanting more.
Verdict: Season two can’t come fast enough for “Daredevil: Born Again,” a triumph of MCU’s storytelling style. It’s a must-see for fans of grounded heroes, strong performances and emotionally driven narratives.
