Daredevil: Why the MCU should keep Charlie Cox as The Man Without Fear

Charlie Cox should remain Daredevil in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If you’re a fan of Daredevil, there’s some good news for you. By the end of 2020, Marvel Studios will be able to create another Daredevil project.

Daredevil was probably the most popular of the Netflix Marvel series. It could have been the realism, gritty and hard hitting fight scenes, or the near flawless casting. Whatever it was, people loved it. It was disappointing when it was canceled.

Now, we have a chance to get another series on Disney Plus now that the Netflix contract will be up soon. However, for those hoping that Charlie Cox will return to play The Man Without Fear, you may be disappointed. Cox doesn’t believe he’ll return… at least not in the capacity that the character was rumored to.

During an interview with ComicBook.com, Cox commented:

"“I just think the best bet for them, in the unlikely nature of being able to get all of us together again, it should be a whole new team, and, you know, start again.”"

It’s disappointing that he believes this. Cox was easily one of the best five representations of a comic book character Marvel Studios has produced. His dedication to the role of being Daredevil and the blind Matt Murdock were both flawless. For example, when Matt was physically hurting, he never let up. You could see him wincing in pain as he walked days after a fight, showcasing the pain someone without powers would go through. Viewers appreciated little things like that.

Cox may be unsure as to whether he’ll reprise his role, but it would be a mistake for Marvel not to use him again.

Why Marvel Studios should keep him

In a recent article, this writer wrote how it would be a mistake for DC/Warner Bros. not to keep DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow’s Matt Ryan on as John Constantine in the recently-announced Justice League Dark show, referencing how they dropped the ball by not using Grant Gustin as The Flash in Justice League. The same reasoning can be used here.

Everyone loved Charlie Cox. For three seasons and 39 episodes, he was Daredevil, and it’ll be a long while (at the very least) before people look at Daredevil and see anyone else. So why not use that familiar face to your advantage? Viewers would go crazy if the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Spider-Man was in trouble and Cox’s Daredevil popped in. Or if a trailer showed Peter Parker on trial and Cox was playing Matt Murdock.

In the aforementioned interview, Cox also reminded fans that recasts have successfully happened before, commenting that “they do it with Spider-Man all the time. I keep consuming that stuff ’cause I love it.”

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Fans don’t really enjoy seeing characters recast multiple times – look at the frustration over the many Batman recasts over the years. Familiarity is one of the many things so many of us have enjoyed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man weren’t recast throughout the decade that they entertained us. With the exception of Rhodey, we got the same actors playing these characters each and every single time.

If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Even if a future Daredevil series (or project) were to become more PG-13 than R-rating, Charlie Cox would still easily work in the role. And while you’re at it, keep Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, Mike Colter as Luke Cage, Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk and Wilson Bethel as Bullseye.

What do you think? Do you think they should recast Daredevil? Let us know in the comments below.