Daredevil: Born Again image appears to confirm the return of two fan-favorite Marvel Netflix characters

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By Tom Power
published

Hear that? It's the sound of Marvel fans losing their minds

Matt, Karen, and Foggy sit in a church in Netflix's Daredevil TV show
Is Matt (left) set to be joined by Karen (center) and Foggy (right) in Daredevil's MCU TV show? (Image credit: Netflix/Marvel Television)

Amid rumors of their inclusion in Daredevil: Born Again, it seems Karen and Foggy are crossing over from Netflix's Daredevil series into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Following a January 12 Jeff Sneider report that the characters were returning, eagle-eyed Marvel fan and X/Twitter user WingFinn48 (thanks to DiscussingFilm for the catch), spotted that Daredevil's Disney Plus show appears to be bringing Matt Murdock's best friends and closest allies back as part of its cast. 

Unfortunately, there are no official images of Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson, who played Karen Page and Foggy Nelson in Netflix's Daredevil series, appearing on the New York-based set. However, WingFinn48, who says the Marvel Phase 5 show is being filmed on their street, snapped an intriguing picture that seemingly confirms they'll play some part in Daredevil: Born Again.

It's the third of WingFinn48's four photographs that strongly hints at the pair's return. Indeed, the 'Nelson, Murdock & Page' sign – the name of trio's law firm, which they went into partnership with in Daredevil's season 3 finale – is a dead giveaway. After all, why would Marvel include the group's headquarters if it didn't plan to bring Woll and Henson into the fold, reuniting Matt (and, by proxy, Marvel fans) with them?

If the duo are making the jump from one of the best Netflix shows to the MCU, they'll join Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio on the cast roster, with the pair already transitioning from the Netflix TV show to Marvel's cinematic juggernaut. Cox and D'Onofrio will reprise their roles as Murdock/Daredevil and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin respectively, having already done so in other MCU projects. Cox made cameos in Spider-Man: No Way Home, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and Echo. Meanwhile, D'Onofrio featured in Hawkeye before co-starring with Alaqua Cox in Echo.

I've reached out to Marvel and Disney for an official comment on Page and Henson's possible involvement in Born Again, and I'll update this article if I hear back.

A second chance at success in the MCU

An unmasked Matt Murdock stands in a dark room with his Daredevil suit on in the character's Netflix series

The Man Without Fear might be reunited with his two best friends in Born Again (Image credit: Netflix)

If Page and Henson do return as Karen and Foggy, it'll be a fillip for Marvel fans, and another prime example that the MCU's leadership team is making crowd-pleasing changes to Daredevil: Born Again.

Originally, it appeared that Daredevil's Disney Plus series wasn't going to be a direct follow-up to the hit Netflix show. Instead, Marvel seemed to be cherry-picking elements from that show to include in Born Again, which would make things murky from a canonicity standpoint. Indeed, why would certain aspects of Netflix's Daredevil be carried over into the MCU, such as Cox and D'Onofrio playing the same characters, but important individuals like Karen and Foggy, or even unresolved plot points from that show, be left in the archives?

As it happens, that scattergun approach didn't yield results. In October 2023, Daredevil: Born Again was reportedly in serious trouble as Marvel looked to rework large swathes of the show. According to industry insiders, studio executives were unhappy with how the series was turning out, and subsequently opted to retool huge aspects of its narrative, action sequences, and tonality.

A close-up shot of Daredevil looking over his shoulder in She-Hulk episode 8 on Disney Plus

Daredevil is getting his own standalone series on Disney Plus (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

The result? A new head writer and directors were drafted in to renew my faith in Daredevil: Born Again. Dario Scardapane, who penned some of the best episodes of Daredevil spin-off The Punisher, plus Moon Knight and Loki season 2 filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, are now in charge of its show's overall vision – and they've already made wide-sweeping changes that'll tie Born Again to its Netflix cousin. 

Such alternations reportedly include more hard-hitting and gruesome fight scenes, Karen and Foggy's likely appearances, and even the return of John Bernthal's Punisher for a supporting role. Earlier this week, Deadline also broke the news that Wilson Bethel's Daredevil season 3 villain Bullseye is back for a short story arc. Speculation persists that Born Again will comprise 13 episodes (the same number that each Netflix season had) instead of the previously announced 18, too.

All signs, then, point towards Marvel making significant strides to reviving Netflix's Daredevil in all but name. Considering how amazing that show was, it's music to mine and many fans' ears. Here's hoping we get even more buzz-inducing Daredevil news in the weeks to come, and ahead of its likely Disney Plus debut in 2025.

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Tom Power
Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.

Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.