The recent Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law reunited audiences with Charlie Cox’s Daredevil to a bit of criticism, which the actor himself has now spoken about.
The lattermost appearance was not without its controversy. Even before Daredevil’s arrival, She-Hulk garnered a largely negative reaction from fans. However, many, including critics, did welcome the lighter and goofier take on the MCU. In fact, however, one of the show’s most divisive points was Daredevil’s return.
The sillier mood of She-Hulk was a profound tonal change from the original Daredevil series’ harsh and gritty tone; for some, the change was a step too far. Outspoken detractors were quick to trend #NotMyDaredevil across social media. Much of the criticism was levied at the way Daredevil was portrayed in the Disney+ release.
Now, Cox himself addressed this criticism in a new interview.
Daredevil Star’s Perfect Reply to Criticism
In a new interview with Digital Spy, Charlie Cox weighed in on his character’s controversial She-Hulk appearance and offered an excellent retort for its naysayers.
The actor admits that he was particularly apprehensive about the contentious “walk of shame:”
“There’s stuff like the walk of shame, where you’re like, ‘I don’t know. This could go two ways. This could be something that the fans really enjoy, and it could be something that feels like it goes against the nature of what they love about the character and the tone of the piece’.”
Cox acknowledged that the scene could have gone down either way, and the divisive reaction proved his hunch was correct. Some fans embraced the tonal change while others lamented the lighter take on the character.
The Daredevil star clarified that it’s not his show, and he was happy to “embrace the tone” of She-Hulk and let Matt Murdock “let his hair down” for once.
“In this world, Matt’s in LA, and he lets his hair down a little bit. He’s just having fun. He’s killing it in the courtroom. You know, he has a fling with a really beautiful and charismatic lawyer. And then they get to do some superhero stuff.”
Cox found exploring Matt’s fun side “really exciting.” While the actor recognized how different the tone was, he felt that it allowed him to explore the role in new ways while still “being in keeping” with Daredevil’s character.
He also addressed criticism of the #NotMyDaredevil trend, aware that She-Hulk is not the first time Daredevil has been given a “silly and goofy” slant.
While some may mistake Murdock for a totally serious character, Marvel’s Daredevil comics have been portraying Matt Murdock’s lighter side for years, something the actor is well aware of.
Finally, Cox offered a fantastic retort to She-Hulk critics:
“You can’t please all the people all the time. If She-Hulk’s not your thing, then don’t watch it. Watch something else.”
What’s to Come for Daredevil in the MCU?
She-Hulk won’t be the last fans see Daredevil, with the highly anticipated Daredevil: Born Again debuting in 2024.
Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin) are booked to return, with Michael Gandolfini signing onto the show. This is alongside reports that Margarita Levieva and Sandrine Holt have joined the cast. Fans also hope to see a return of fan-favorite character Foggy Nelson, played by Elden Henson.
Unfortunately, there has been no news yet on whether Henson is returning. Yet, with a record 18 episodes in the show’s first season, longer than any Disney+ original, there is plenty of room for the character to return.
Gandolfini’s contract is even promising for a second season, which given the excitement surrounding the project, will come as no surprise to fans. Even with Born Again in its earlier stages, the show was already picked as The Direct’s most anticipated Phase 5 draft project.
It’s clear that Marvel has big plans for Hells Kitchen’s resident hero, and Marvel taking its time with the reboot will come as a relief for those tired of the limited approach to streaming Disney+ has touted thus far.
Andor‘s positive reception will also strengthen those sighs of relief. The Star Wars show was widely praised for taking its time with its characters and story arcs, and it seems Daredevil’s long episode count will allow it to echo these strengths.
As the show’s production looks to span 2023, there will be plenty of news in the pipeline before Daredevil: Born Again streams on Disney+ in Spring 2024.
