‘Daredevil’ Showrunner on Why He Gave Bullseye an Origin Story

The new season of Daredevil has been a hit on Netflix, finally introducing a fan-favorite Marvel villain that fans have been clamoring for since the show was first announced. But this is a different version of Bullseye than fans have seen before.

The character has basically been fully formed in the comics over the last few decades, with both his backstory and real name being mysteries to both the Man Without Fear and readers alike. But Daredevil introduced viewers to troubled FBI agent Benjamin Poindexter, who eventually becomes Wilson Fisk’s lethal enforcer and, finally, Bullseye.

Series showrunner Erik Oleson spoke about why he wanted to dive deep with the character, taking the name from the Ultimate Marvel version of Bullseye and giving him a backstory that humanizes the villain.

“This is the story of how this character — who might have been a good guy in the world — is turned into a bad guy, and ultimately set on the path to becoming one of the big villains of Marvel lore. And that allowed us to tell, I think, a deeper, more character driven and emotional story, which to me is the best kind of writing,” Oleson said. “Stories that are very much told from the inside, where you’re with characters, you empathize with characters, you understand the decisions they make, even if you may or may not agree with them, and you’re on the journey. You’re kind of in the head of those characters.”

Through Poindexter, Oleson saw another avenue to ground the series in character-driven storytelling, with Wilson Fisk being the ultimate villain. Fisk’s narcissism ultimately poisons everyone around him, including the impressionable Agent Poindexter.

He just didn’t want to drop Bullseye in the middle of the series, fully formed in his costume, and call it a day. After all, the showrunner has plans for the future…

“I think that would satisfy some folks, but it wouldn’t have satisfied me,” Oleson said. “I just wanted to go for the deeper model. I think as in the future, if Bullseye were to appear in future seasons, I think that the audience is going to have a much deeper understanding and connection with that villain in the way that we have a deep and meaningful connection with Wilson Fisk after watching season one.”

While Marvel’s future on Netflix seems a little dubious at this point, hopefully we get a fourth season of Daredevil to further flesh out this rivalry between the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen and the man who will become Bullseye.

The new season of Daredevil is now streaming on Netflix.