For MCU fans, the San Diego Comic-Con was a treasure trove of goodies. The announcement of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars was undoubtedly the most significant.
Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts were also revealed. One of the Phase 5 projects that stunned the most people was Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige’s announcement that not only is Daredevil: Born Again a genuine thing, but its first season would consist of eighteen episodes.
That’s an astounding amount of chapters, not to mention much more than any other Disney+ series to date. So it has to be something amazing, right?
Could Marvel be concealing one of its most important street-level events? Perhaps one with a tale that will reunite The Defenders?
The Defenders Are Back
There must be something significant about Daredevil’s return for the first season to have such a high episode count. After all, it will last three times as long as almost every previous Marvel Disney+ series.
The appropriate reunification of the Defenders is one of the most probable plot elements to be addressed. Krysten Ritter has been speculated to be returning to the MCU shortly, and Mike Colter has said that he would be interested if the chance arose.
While he is not a legitimate part of the Netflix crew, Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle is another fan favorite who people are eager to see return to the screen.
While several of the previous Netflix heroes are expected to return, Finn Jones is unlikely to join them. Not only was his solo series critically panned, but many felt that his acting and persona were just not on par with the others.
Not to add how he refused to even practice his battle sequences, which is likely why they appear satirical in comparison to what fans received in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Leaving aside Iron Fist, what could be so significant as to bring all of these heroes together at one event? As one may expect, everything centers on Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin.
The New York City tycoon
It’s been speculated that Echo would conclude with Kingpin embarking on his campaign to become mayor of New York City. That would be a significant stride for the character and a significant upheaval in the MCU’s current quo.
Those acquainted with the comics will recognize this circumstance as the recent incident named Devil’s Reign. Wilson Fisk becomes mayor of New York City and goes on to prohibit superheroes. He even hires supervillains to hunt down individuals who do not heed to him.
As Daredevil repeatedly shown, Kingpin has enough of power even without a governmental post. The villain’s degree of control as mayor may make him almost unbeatable—on the ground level, of course.
While starting as Mayor might make for a larger and more interesting season, his journey to that position of power could last the whole season.
The big bad also has a habit of hiring unscrupulous characters to work with him, which may become a problem if he is in such a prominent position.
Even though the old show’s canon is still in doubt, this may be the ideal method to bring Bullseye back into the picture, perhaps paying off the Season 3 setup.
But when it comes to Fisk employing enemies for his own goal, it’s a habit that comes naturally to the evil. Is this something the MCU has already begun to work on?
Remember how Hawkeye appeared to imply that Kingpin is pulling the strings of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Val—who seems to be bringing together the Thunderbolts for the big finale to Phase 5? This signifies that they are under the power of Vincent D’Onofrio’s villain.
Daredevil: Born Again is currently scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in the spring of 2024, immediately before Thunderbolts’ theatrical launch on July 28. It definitely seems to be suspect timing; yet, given the release sequence, the real Thunderbolts crew is unlikely to materialize until after Charlie Cox’s program concludes.
Given the Spring 2024 release timeframe, the extended eighteen-episode run might end exactly before Thunderbolts, potentially even extending for a few weeks after—which provides some flexibility between the two if there are crossovers on other links.
There Aren’t Just the Defenders
The Defenders aren’t the only heroes that may get involved. With Fisk as Mayor, every super who works in NYC may be a part of the action.
Obviously, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is the first name that comes to mind. The notion may sound like a pipe dream, but the MCU has pulled off some classic stunts—who knows what may happen?
There are plenty excellent alternatives to the webhead. Kamala Khan is just next door, Echo will be fresh off her show, Sam Wilson was just in town, Kate Bishop is a local archer, and maybe they can get Moon Knight into the city.
All of these possibilities seem to be unreal. After all, who doesn’t want to see the Defenders, Punisher, and the rest of Marvel Studios’ street-level heroes meet up on Disney+ for a gigantic, long-lasting event? It would be an entirely unique and remarkable experience.
Daredevil: Born Again will be available on Disney+ sometime in the spring of 2024, while Thunderbolts will be released in cinemas globally on July 26, 2024.
