Daredevil: Born Again Adds The Many Saints Of Newark Star Michael Gandolfini
Michael Gandolfini is about to make the jump from the mafia-ridden streets of New Jersey to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's version of New York City. The actor, most well-known for stepping into the shoes of his late father James Gandolfini to portray a younger version of Tony Soprano in last year's "The Many Saints of Newark," is set to board "Daredevil: Born Again."
The news comes courtesy of Deadline, which reports that Gandolfini is set to enter the grounded superhero world of the Man Without Fear as the MCU prepares to officially fold Charlie Cox's portrayal of the fan-favorite hero into the larger universe. First confirmed to be in the works at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, "Daredevil: Born Again" represents a curious crossroads for the family-friendly superhero universe: Will Kevin Feige and the show's creative team double down on the tone set by their PG-13 big-screen spectacles, or continue the original Netflix series' far more brutal, violent, and hard-edged approach?
The casting of Gandolfini in an undisclosed role — though Deadline describes his character as "an ambitious guy from Staten Island referred to as Liam" — doesn't confirm nor deny how the MCU will ultimately portray the character, but it certainly adds a certain heft to the proceedings. Anyone who watched "The Many Saints of Newark" can speak to how the young actor carried himself in rather demanding circumstances, considering the legacy left behind by his father as the star of "The Sopranos." Should Marvel carry over any of that grit to "Daredevil," fans may be in for a treat.
Michael Gandolfini joins the MCU
The street-level superheroics of the MCU are about to receive a welcome infusion of talent from someone who certainly knows a thing or two about hard-hitting and grounded crime stories. Michael Gandolfini will join Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk in what's being referred to as "a major role" in "Daredevil: Born Again." Destined to premiere on Disney+ streaming, the 18-episode first season will mark the masked superhero's official (re)introduction into the MCU. While official channels remain mum on any further details, speculation has quickly begun to run rampant among fans that Gandolfini may portray the Kingpin's son, Richard.
"Daredevil: Born Again" comes from "Covert Affairs" creators Matt Corman and Chris Ord, with no other cast members confirmed aside from Cox and D'Onofrio (although other supporting actors remain ready and willing to reprise their original roles from the Netflix series should Marvel come calling, of course). The seeds for both Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk's returns have been seeded in various other Marvel installments in recent months, with Cox most recently appearing in both "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and the Disney+ series "She-Hulk: Attorney At Law" while D'Onofrio made his grand (re)appearance in the Hailee Steinfeld-starring "Hawkeye."
Aside from the obvious implications of the title, plot details and other casting for "Daredevil: Born Again" have remained under tight wraps since its official announcement. Fans can expect the series to debut on Disney+ sometime in 2024.