Marvel’s Daredevil Is Becoming A Household Name As DC Fumbles Batman

Marvel may be looking to take the Bat out of crime. It’s no secret Batman sits perched atop the tower of street-level crime fighters, but Daredevil is showing no fear lately in making his name known to superhero audiences. Loosely based on Frank Miller’s 1986 Daredevil: Born Again comic, the eponymous Disney+ series’ story is regarded as character-defining for the Daredevil we know today. Miller’s graphic novel was released in the same year as his other seminal work, The Dark Knight Returns (1986), which is similarly known to be a genre-evolving superhero story. It also features Daredevil villain Bullseye acting as a formidable answer to Batman’s Joker.

Marvel seems to have grasped what makes Daredevil work for wide audiences in the first two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again, leaning into long-take fights, brutal violence, and deep character exploration. In addition, the press has been amazing. Meanwhile, both Batman films in the works for DC are huge question marks. Batman isn’t going anywhere, but his Marvel counterpart is coming in hot, and more fearless than ever.

Related

Daredevil: Born Again Episode 1 & 2’s Biggest Easter Eggs

Daredevil: Born Again episode 1 & 2 have quite a few easter eggs for eagle eyed Marvel fans. Here are the biggest and best.

Daredevil Has Become An MCU Mainstay Seemingly Overnight

He’s Showing Up In Movies And Shows While Headlining His Own Series

Marvel TV Executive Producer Brad Winderbaum says Matt Murdock is a character in turmoil. “That’s why we love him,” he said to The Phase Hero podcast. “I don’t know that I’d want to be him, but I know I want to watch him.” This quality is shared with DC’s crime-busting parallel hero Batman. Both heroes lack superpowers, solve crimes, and wrestle with tortured consciousness. They also share psychotic arch enemies who strive to push their respective heroes over their moral edges. Bullseye, Daredevil’s nemesis, menaces Daredevil+ Born Again’s pilot episode in spectacular fashion.

Using the comics as a basis, it seems the character is in capable hands with Winderbaum moving forward. Winderbaum name-dropped Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man when describing Daredevil’s street-level appeal and New York-centrism, saying Daredevil: Born Again similarly offers what the comic books offered. “I’m reading (Daredevil: Born Again) because I want to see this world of gritty crime,” he said. “I’m not reading this because I think Thor’s gonna show up.” At the same time, it was awesome seeing Matt Murdock show up in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and the excitement generated around his appearance indicates a growing enthusiasm for Daredevil’s character.

Still, Winderbaum’s statement is the crux of what endears many Batman fans to Daredevil, beyond their detective crime-fighting styles and dark demeanors. Both heroes have a sort of self-reliant quality. When reading or watching Daredevil or Batman, the appeal is watching them fight their demons, whether internal or external, in the form of their rogues galleries. Other heroes often need not apply, though it can be fun when they do. Marvel seems to have properly observed this fact with regard to The Man Without Fear. After full-episode re-shoots and fundamental revisions to the show’s story and characters, the first two episodes have gripped critics and audiences alike.

Daredevil: Born Again currently boasts an enviable 9/10 rating on IMDB and a certified fresh 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. The show’s positive reception stems from intentional work by the show’s creators to honor Daredevil in a way that highlights his fan-worthiness on screen. Marvel hopes to produce a worthy successor to the original Netflix series, which earned overwhelming praise from fans and critics, with certified fresh ratings on Rotten Tomatoes in each of its three seasons, including a 97% critic score for its final volume.

While Disney+ hasn’t released any viewership numbers for Daredevil: Born Again, audiences can assume the show is seeing exceptional figures, as it’s currently number one on the streaming app’s top 10 shows chart. Daredevil: Born Again‘s reign is maybe extra significant, given it’s bested the number two show on Disney+’s charts: Pixar’s highly anticipated Win Or Lose. With its powerhouse credentials, family-friendly MPAA rating, and exceptional critical reception, it’s very impressive for the mature Daredevil: Born Again to grace more screens than a new Pixar product.

Batman’s Recent Disappearing Act

Who Is The DCU Batman And Where Is The Batman Part 2?

Where has Batman been since 2022’s The Batman? Writer-Director Matt Reeves says he’s been waiting to pick up shortly after the events of Max’s The Penguin, but not until 2027, as The Batman Part 2 has been delayed into the distant future with no certain signs of stopping there. The Batman star Robert Pattinson isn’t even clear on what his Batman is up to, saying he only has “a vague idea of the script,” according to Collider.

Pattinson will be 40 years old by the time filming begins for The Batman‘s sequel, which is way older than his character is intended to be in his second year of crime-fighting. Meanwhile, DC Co-Head James Gunn said Batman is the most popular superhero in the world, and he’d love to see more of him, according to an interview with Rotten Tomatoes. If so, why haven’t fans seen more of him? If anyone could make that happen, the person who calls the shots at DC, James Gunn, would be the guy.

Is Daredevil The Hero We Deserve?

For the first time in years, audiences agree Marvel’s live-action TV project is showing signs of life. Daredevil: Born Again‘s continued success could potentially signal signs of the silver-screen, as he’s already conquered America’s television sets. If there ever was a bat signal shining for DC’s attention, it’s shining now, and it’s the Daredevil symbol in a very bright light.

Daredevil: Born Again

5/10

Release Date

March 4, 2025

Showrunner

Chris Ord

• 

  Charlie Cox

  Matt Murdock / Daredevil

• 

  Vincent D’Onofrio

  Wilson Fisk / Kingpin