It seems high time for theMCUto bring its own take on a 2003 Marvel movie that was the first and last live-action solo film effort for a major superhero. As of 2025,the MCU timelinehas brought a staggering number of heroes from the inked page to the big screen across the course of its history thus far.
That said, there are still plenty of prominent Marvel heroes who’ve yet to get their own solo MCU movie stories. While this is understandable, sinceupcoming MCU moviesneed to feature their fair share of sequels, the franchise still appears to be at in a perfect position to give one Marvel hero a second chance at their own solo live-action movie.
2003’s Daredevil Was The First (& Last) Live-Action Movie About The Hero
2003’sDaredevilwas, in many ways, a promising first film look at the hero. Ben Affleck’s promise as a superhero casting is evident, and Daredevil’s comic lore is extensive and iconic enough to easily set up its own movie trilogy while still leaving years and years of stories untouched.
However,Daredevil’s movie story created a far more divided reaction, with many viewers - and seemingly Affleck himself - appearing to consider the approach the installment took as lackluster overall. To this day,Daredevil’sRotten Tomatoes scoresare that of a 43% Tomatometer and 35% Popcornmeter, andAffleck stated at the 2006Hollywoodlandpremierethat he would never reprise the role, explaining:
“By playing a superhero inDaredevil, I have inoculated myself from ever playing another superhero… Wearing a costume was a source of humiliation for me and something I wouldn’t want to do again soon.”
It’s worth noting 2003’sDaredevildidn’t fare strictly poorly by this time period’s box office standards for superhero movies - making over double its budget with its $182 million box office (viaThe Numbers). That said,the divided reaction to the film, combined with the franchise’s inability to produceDaredevil 2, effectively had the hero’s film stories come to a standstill.
Though Daredevil has continued to be a major figure in the superhero world, the character has remained without a live-action solo movie in the over 20 years that have passed since. Fortunately, though, Marvel has still managed to explore the character in a way that demonstrates there’s massive potential in taking this route once more.
Daredevil’s Marvel History Proves The Hero Deserves Another Movie Chance
While Daredevil has not appeared in another solo live-action movie in the years since, his on-screen story has still unfolded in some major ways. This was first and foremost with theDaredevilshow, which has had far more resonance in the wider Marvel world, and is to this day regarded as one of the best superhero shows of all time.
Though it took some time,Daredevilwould eventually become MCU canon, which also led to Charlie Cox’s Daredevil appearing first in the likes ofSpider-Man: No Way HomeandShe-Hulk: Attorney At Law, and then in his own solo show,Daredevil: Born Again. The show is still even ongoing, withDaredevil: Born Againseason 2set to release next year.
Daredevilreleased between 2015-2018, starting 12 years after 2003’sDaredevilmovie.Spider-Man: No Way Homereleased in 2021, andShe-Hulk: Attorney At Lawreleased the year after.
Notably,these various Daredevil appearances build on the hero’s lore and popularity in a way that demonstrates the potential of both means the concept of a new Daredevil movie feels more promising than everin the present day. This is doubly true as well since audiences have had over a decade to grow attached to Cox’s iteration of the vigilante.
With this backdrop in mind, it seems like the world is more than ready for a new Daredevil movie, and for the franchise to break this drought. Though Daredevil’s live-action stories have instead been told through shows over these years, havingBorn Againlead into a movie release or film special seems like it could make a lot of sense.
The MCU’s Movie Roster Shows Exactly How A Modern Daredevil Movie Could Be Very Different
Daredevil’s current place in the MCU - and prior appearances in other MCU releases that didn’t center on him - makes his positioning for a prospective modern Marvel movie very different. Instead of existing as a more separate entity, Cox’s hero is currently part of a considerable roster of MCU heroes, whose stories often interconnect.
This works twofold, both in the sense that Daredevil’s story can be further established by him appearing in other MCU movies - much as he did inNo Way Home- and in the sense that other heroes could appear in his own movie. Not only does this open the door for a Daredevil movie to feel more like an integrated part of something bigger, it also meanssome huge Daredevil stories are more possible for the MCU film world.
Daredevil: Born Againis certainly a strong part of the MCU already that doesn’t absolutely need a movie tie-in, but putting part of this story in movie format could pay off majorly for the franchise. This approach could also ensure a story that might be paced oddly if split into episodes can be done full justice via a feature-length film.
Given the sheer popularity of Daredevil as a character - and the fact his current live-actionMCUstory has been cultivated so effectively for years now - it does seem a present-day Daredevil movie could avoid the pitfalls the 2003Daredevilexperienced. Whether the MCU wishes to take this route, though, will only become clear with time.
