What Is Next for Daredevil in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Netflix is continuing to dump its Marvel Cinematic Universe content, and the latest victim is [...]

By Kofi Outlaw - December 8, 2018 05:03 am EST

Netflix is continuing to dump its Marvel Cinematic Universe content, and the latest victim is Daredevil, which was canceled after an acclaimed season 3 run, with no season 4 to follow. Following that sd announcement, Marvel fans have understandably been up in arms over the loss of the inaugural (and best loved) Marvel Netflix series.

But is all hope lost? Marvel Studios is headed for some big changes to the MCU in 2019, with the release of Avengers 4, the finalization of the Disney and 20th Century Fox merger, and new Marvel TV content coming to the new Disney+ streaming service. With all of new avenues opening up, here are several options for how Daredevil could continue on, in the future:

Movie Cameo

For years now, Marvel fans have been want to see a truly complete lineup of Marvel Cinematic Universe characters appear in a film together. It's been a whole lot of wishful thinking, as the MCU movie and TV divisions are kept rigidly separated.

However, now that the Marvel Netflix characters seem to be coming to the end of their respective (and collective) runs, it could be treated as a nice one-off Easter egg to have The Defenders (plus Punisher) all cameo in an MCU movie. There wouldn't be time to get too deep with them all, but given Matt Murdock's status as both a lawyer and costumed vigilante, there are several ways for him, specifically, to fit into an MCU movie - mask or no mask.

Agents of SHIELD

Daredevil season 3 already dropped an Agents of SHIELD Easter egg, so the foundation for The Man Without Fear to appear in Agent Coulson's world is already there. Agents of SHIELD has already tackled darker and more violent Marvel material with its Ghost Rider arc in season 4, so it could also probably handle Daredevil.

If ABC Network doesn't want to go dark with it, a SHIELD case involving Matt Murdock (and just a brief, PG-13 appearance by Daredevil) also works.

FX

Part of the merger between Disney and 20th Century Fox will see FX Networks folded under the Disney banner. It's been teased that FX would retain its bold and edgy approach to TV programming, which Disney could use to put out content that doesn't fit its "family friendly" brand.

Well, with Legion already making Marvel TV's presence known on FX, resurrecting Daredevil could be an effective way of luring an even bigger Marvel fanbase to the channel.

Disney+

I lot speculation centers on the idea that Netflix's purge of Marvel content is the result of Disney ad Netflix being unable to come to terms on new licensing costs. More to the point, it's suspected that Disney may have wanted the deal to fall through.

"Disney+" is angling to be a 'Netflix-Killer' streaming app, and one way of throwing some delicious shade at its primary competitor would be bringing a show like Daredevil (and others) to Disney+

Hulu

Netflix isn't the only streaming service that Marvel has licensed out its content to: Hulu hosts the MCU young adult series Runaways.

Hulu would allow similar looser censorship restrictions as Netflix, and it's model of releasing series episodes weekly (instead of in one long binge) could actually help Daredevil overcome the challenge of maintaining prolonged hype with fans.

Solo Film

Before he was a TV icon, Daredevil got a shot at big screen fame with the 2003 Daredevil movie that first united Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner.

Unfortunately, the 2003 Daredevil was one of many lackluster attempts of third-party studios trying to turn Marvel Comics properties into major movie franchises. An MCU reboot of the film franchise could arrive at the perfect time.

Team-Up Film

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Marvel Studios has started to realize that they can get around fatigue with individual franchises or characters by combining them into team-up "event films" that make use of several key characters, without swelling to the size or scope of a full-on Avengers MCU crossover.

Daredevil has had key partnerships with Spider-Man, The Punisher, Black Panther, The Defenders and other in Marvel Comics; no reason to think that a film featuring Matt Murdock partnering with another MCU heroes (or two) would be worth the price of admission.

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How do you think Marvel Studios should continue Daredevil? Or do you think the series is dead for good? Let us know in the comments!

Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-Man and the Wasp are now available as a digital download as well as on Blu-ray and DVD. Upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movies include Captain Marvel on March 8, 2019, Avengers 4 on May 3, 2019, and Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 5, 2019.