Marvel and Netflix’s new Daredevil series is debuting in just a few short months, and yet actual details about the show remain a bit scarce. Thankfully, head of Marvel TV Jeph Loeb, Daredevil showrunner Steven S. DeKnight, and star Charlie Cox sat down with Entertainment Weekly to talk a bit about the show.
First off, DeKnight made sure to note that the series will feel more like a crime drama than a superhero story, and he cited some influences that make it sound like the show is going to be a very ambitious one…
“We really wanted to take our cue from [films like] The French Connection, Dog Day Afternoon, Taxi Driver, and make it very, very grounded, very gritty, very real. We always say we would rather lean toward The Wire than what’s considered a classic superhero television show.”
Yup, the show is just going to be a mix of The Wire and The French Connection – no big. Should be easy to pull off. But is the show still part of the Marvel Universe? Will the Taxi Driver-style goings on be interrupted by Rocket Raccoon? Jeph Loeb explained…
“It does take place in the Marvel cinematic universe. It’s all connected. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we would look up in the sky and see Iron Man. It’s just a different part of New York that we have not yet seen in the Marvel movies. There aren’t going to be people flying through the sky. There are no magic hammers.”
So, what about Daredevil himself? In the comics he’s “The man without fear” but according to Cox, some changes are in store for Matt Murdock.
“Someone who does not have fear — literally does not experience fear — is not that interesting. The way I like to think about it is that he is a man with fear, but he on a daily basis decides to confront that fear and to overcome it. So the title of ‘the man without fear’ is almost a title that the public in his world gives him just because of what he does. But inside himself, he’s very afraid at times. And he finds a way to confront those fears and punch through it.”
Hmmm, well okay, punching through fear sounds pretty badass. Now, how about the series’ main villain, The Kingpin? Well, according to Loeb he’ll be gettin’ down with the romance this season.
“This season is about both the rise of the hero and the rise of the villain. Fisk has very many different aspects so it’s not all, ‘I want to conquer the city and make a lot of money.’ In our story, we tell the story of how he met his wife Vanessa and how they fell in love — our antagonist actually has a love story. That’s the love story you’re following, the one you’re invested in, and seeing how that affects him and changes him. I think Vincent [D’Onofrio] just brings such depth to it, his performance is just astounding.”
Finally, what about Bullseye? Previously the producers had said he wouldn’t be a part of the show, but it seems like they may be more open to introducing Bullseye than previously thought…
“I wouldn’t say there’s no plans to include the character in the series, but I think if you try to jam in too many characters, it just becomes a mess. Honestly, if you’re looking for a juicy, multi-faceted crime drama, Wilson Fisk was the obvious choice to play the antagonist. Bullseye is a little more cut and dry. Not to say you couldn’t make him fantastic over 13 hours, but Fisk really felt like the right yin to the yang for Matt, and for what we wanted to do this season.”
I have to say, Daredevil is probably the upcoming comic book TV show I’m most looking forward to – hopefully Matt Murdock is finally going to get his due.