Though Charlie Cox is back in theMarvel Cinematic Universeas Daredevil, the British star opens up about how his character was initially not allowed to appear in the rest of the franchise. While Matt Murdock has been one of the most beloved heroes inthe MCU timeline, there was still a period of time where the Marvel-Netflix shows, including theDaredevilseries, were not considered fully canon to the franchise. Cox returning in 2021’sSpider-Man: No Way Homewas the beginning of audiences getting to finally see Marvel’s Netflix properties become fully tied into the rest of the MCU.
DuringVariety’s Actors on Actors, Cox sat down with fellow MCU star Joe Locke, who plays Billy Maximoff, a.k.a. Wiccan, onAgatha All Along, as they chatted about their respective journeys with the franchise. One of the topics Cox discussed was how he ended up getting brought back to the MCU after a call from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, though he also addressed how his Daredevil couldn’t appear in the MCU previously due to an embargo, as Cox had the following conversation with Locke:
Charlie Cox: I was absolutely shocked. It was the middle of COVID. I was in the garden, and my phone rang. I hadn’t heard from anyone from Marvel for two years at least. The last phone call I’d had was “We’re sorry, but the show’s been canceled.” And then Kevin Feige calls. He wasn’t involved with the original show, because it was Marvel Television, which was a different studio at the time. I’d met Kevin — had a two-minute conversation with him when he came to see a play I was in — but we didn’t talk about “Daredevil.”
I didn’t know there was an embargo on how two years had to pass before they could contact me about it. So he was like, “Do you want to come back and do some more Daredevil stuff?” I was absolutely blown away. Couldn’t believe it. And then I didn’t hear anything for three months, so I started to question whether I’d dreamed that.
Joe Locke: That sounds so Marvel.
Charlie Cox: It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Joe Locke: When you were doing the original series, did it feel like you were slightly outsiders of the MCU? What’s the difference between then and now?
Charlie Cox: We always used to joke about feeling like we’re the stepkids.
Joe Locke: Now does it feel like you’re in?
Charlie Cox: It does. It feels a little bit more like we’re a part of the fam. I’m not on social media, so I don’t really follow this conversation, but I know from other castmates that it’s important to the fan base that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is all connected.So there was a lot of pleasure from the fans that the previous show was considered canon.
What Charlie Cox’s Daredevil Story Means For The MCU
Charlie Cox’s Daredevil: A Defining Moment for the MCU
While Marvel Television is back as an entity at Marvel Studios,it’s crucial to remember that the original version of the division was not tied to Marvel Studios in the same way as the current one is today. When Cox refers to the embargo on Daredevil appearing in MCU properties,Varietyreported in 2018 that the reason fans shouldn’t expect to see any of The Defenders in the franchise was due to a legal clause. Per the trade in 2018, the contract stopped Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist from appearing in any non-Netflix movies or TV shows for at least two years after each of their series were canceled.
That goes to show how vastly different things were back then at Marvel Studios, as it could be easy to otherwise imagine that the original Marvel Television division, which was run by Jeph Loeb, would still have some relation to Feige. While Feige may have had nothing to do withthe Marvel-Netflix shows,it’s clear that he saw the value in those properties, including Cox’s Daredevil portrayal. The fact that Feige was willing to wait for the two-year clause to run its course shows that he knew that bringing some of the Marvel-Netflix players back to the MCU would be a well-received decision with fans.
The Implications of Charlie Cox’s Daredevil for the MCU’s Future
Image via Disney+
Hearing Cox’s comments about this matterprovides a good reminder about how complex the Hollywood industry can be, including when it comes to how comic book properties are handled across the big and small screens. While it’s a shame that it took as long as it did for the Marvel-Netflix era to be folded into the rest of the MCU, it doesn’t take away anything from Cox’s new Daredevil chapter, including the big success ofDaredevil: Born Againseason 1. Hopefully, as Cox continues to reprise the role of Daredevil, the actor will get more chances to appear in other corners of theMCU.
Source: Variety (1,2)
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
Daredevil
Cast
Daredevil is a Netflix original series starring Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock. The TV show ran for three seasons before being canceled by Netflix, despite being critically praised. Kingpin was the main antagonist in seasons 1 and 3 and also introduced Jon Benrthal’s Punisher in season 2. Daredevil was followed by Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again.
Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again follows blind lawyer Matt Murdock, who uses his heightened abilities to pursue justice in New York. As he manages a bustling law firm, former mob boss Wilson Fisk navigates political ambitions, leading both men toward a confrontation as their pasts resurface.
