‘Daredevil’ Star Charlie Cox Understands Why Ethan Hawke Hates Comic Book Movies

Daredevil star Charlie Cox empathizes with Ethan Hawke, who typically stars in less mainstream fare, after the actor previously criticized the superhero genre for the effect “big business” has on smaller movies.

Hawke singled out acclaimed R-rated superhero drama Logan, noting “it’s a great superhero movie” but that it “still involves people in tights with metal coming out of their hands.”

Asked by The Telegraph about those comments and the domination of the superhero genre, as well as the subsequent resentment from actors like Hawke, Cox reasoned some actors blame comic book blockbusters for overshadowing smaller cinematic fare.

“One of the things that has happened in the last few years is that the movies that typically make lots of money tend to be big franchises,” Cox said.

“That means Marvel movies, DC movies, comic book movies… Harry Potter. Hollywood makes so many of these big franchises that there isn’t much space — literally cinema space — for smaller independent movies.”

Cox also theorized why the previous take on Daredevil, played by Ben Affleck in the character’s cinematic debut in 2003, didn’t work — arguing it might have benefit from a more adult touch like that of Logan.

“I thought Ben Affleck did a great job. I really liked his Matt Murdock. It was in keeping with the characters in the comics,” Cox said.

“The problem with the film was that the best Daredevil runs in print are geared toward a slightly more mature audience. He’s not Spider-Man… not really a teenage superhero. That’s where the film didn’t quite work — it was a little too, dare I say, comic book-y for that character.”

Despite his bashing of the genre, Hawke once was on the shortlist of actors in the running to play Doctor Strange before that role ultimately went to Benedict Cumberbatch. Hawke said in 2014 he would have taken the role under Sinister director Scott Derrickson.

“I went to see Logan cause everyone was like, ‘This is a great movie’ and I was like, ‘Really? No, this is a fine superhero movie,’” Hawke told the Film Stage in August.

“There’s a difference but big business doesn’t think there’s a difference. Big business wants you to think that this is a great film because they wanna make money off of it.”

All three seasons of Daredevil are now streaming on Netflix.