Daredevil: Born Again Trailer Hints At A Major MCU Crossover

Summary

The Man Without Fear is suiting up for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and while Charlie Cox’s Daredevil has had small cameos inSpider-Man: No Way Home,She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, andEcho, he’s finally back to lead his own show inDaredevil: Born Again. November 2025 will mark seven years since Netflix canceledDaredevil, and while it once looked like the MCU would start from scratch and eventually recast,Daredevil: Born Againrises from the ashes of the Defendersverse.

Despite some early confusion about whetherthisversion of Matt Murdock is the same one Cox played in Netflix’sDaredevil, MCU overlord Kevin Feige has assured fans thatDaredevil: Born Againis a proper continuation and not some Multiverse variant. Instead of going with the moniker ofDaredevilseason 4,Born Againreiterates that it’s takingDaredevil in a new direction with the MCU. With it, there are high hopes it could set up an important crossover from the pages of Marvel Comics.

Devil’s Reign Marvel Comics

Devil’s Reign is an Iconic Comic Crossover

For those unfamiliar,Devil’s Reignis a relatively new crossover that played out from December 2021 to May 2022. Written by Chip Zdarsky with art by Marco Checchetto, it elevatedWilson Fisk/Kingpinfrom the infamous Spider-Man and Daredevil enemy to an Avengers-level threat that wields more power than ever before. With Fisk realizing there are gaps in his memory about Daredevil’s real identity, he passes the anti-vigilante law and outlaws everyone from the Fantastic Four to Moon Knight.

New York City becomes a struggle for a seat of power, with Tony Stark from the banned Avengers and an enraged Luke Cage wanting to run against Fisk for mayor. Doctor Octopus and Jessica Jones enemy the Purple Man are also key to the story, with Octavius using Reed Richards' inter-dimensional gateway to summon alternate versions of Doc Ock, Hulk, Ghost Rider, and Wolverine. Even if this all sounded a bit out-there for the typically grounded Daredevil, things are even more difficult considering there’s no sign of Alfred Molina suiting up as the ‘main’ MCU’s Doc Ock.JessicaJones alsokilledDavid Tennant’s Purple Man, but like 2016’sCaptain America: Civil Warwas a loose adaptation of the comics, there are ways around this.

daredevil born again kingpin evil

Other major players like the Fantastic Four are also unlikely to appear ahead of their MCU debut in 2025’sThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, which might make Sue Storm’s prominence inDevil’s Reigna problem. There’s also the fact the crossover featuresMiles Morales, who is still MIA from the MCU. The final piece that seems impossible to shoehorn in is the climactic showdown where Fisk beats Matt’s identical twin to death. The murder of Mike Murdock is an iconic moment from the arc, and without this,Devil’s Reignloses a lot of its emotional impact. That’s not to say another major death can’t spur Daredevil into nearly killing Kingpin beforeBorn Again’s credits roll.

In a new era where Kingpin is running things, organized crime will likely run rife in New York, leading to the rise ofMuse as a new villain inBorn Again. The trailer also included Wilson’s Bethel’s Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter behind bars, suggesting thatDaredevilseason 3’s Bullseye will have an important part to play. Thankfully,Born Againsets up some key allies for Matt Murdock. Although sidelined forDevil’s Reign, the inclusion of Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle/the Punisher feels like he’s made for a team-up where Daredevil turns to him when vigilantes are outlawed. The same can be said for theBorn Againtrailer giving a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance from Hector Alaya/White Tiger.

What Devil’s Reign Could Mean for the MCU?

SeeingDevil’s Reignadapted into the MCU was alreadyhinted at by Vincent D’Onofrio, with the actor admitting he couldn’t talk about playing Kingpin in a potential live-action retelling of the arc due to his commitments toBorn Again. Is this the biggest clue yet thatBorn Againwill itself be aDevil’s Reignadaptation? Marvel Studios was originally planning Daredevil’s return for a bumper 18-episode season, but with that reduced to just nine episodes, it feels likeBorn Againis too short to do a proper adaptation ofDevil’s Reign. Still, that doesn’t mean showrunner Dario Scardapanei can’t put the pieces in place for a much bigger outing.

Notably, there are questions about whetherDaredevil: Born Againand a potentialDevil’s Reignadaptation could bring back the other members of the Defendersverse. Jon Bernthal is already locked in as the Punisher, which is a pretty big reveal to put in the trailer. It’s got fans theorizing about whether the rest of the Defenders are being kept in the shadows. Eagle-eyed fans noticed a mention of the Harlem’s Paradise nightclub during theBorn Againtrailer, which featured prominently in both seasons ofLuke Cage. There’s also been plenty of buzz aboutKrysten Ritter reprising her role as Jessica Jonesin the MCU.

Part ofDevil’s Reignalso has Kingpin setting up Thunderbolts units to track down vigilantes, which seems like an easy segue intoJake Schreier’sThunderbolts*. At least part ofThunderbolts*looks like it’ll be set inBorn Again’s stomping ground of New York, with CIA Director Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) pitched as the new owner of the former Avengers tower. Kingpin isn’t confirmed forThunderbolts*, but ifDevil’s Reignisn’t wrapped up inBorn Again, the villainous mayor could become a much bigger threat as the MCU heads intoAvengers: DoomsdayandSpider-Man 4.

Many have pitchedKingpin as the ‘perfect’ villain forSpider-Man 4, which led to early rumors that it would be a team-up movie between street-level heroes. Similar to howCivil Warfilled the gap betweenAvengers: Age of UltronandAvengers: Infinity War, a more grounded movie that brings in a multitude of characters can offer some respite between the presumably bombasticAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret War.Spider-Man 4finds itself in a tight spot, but with a huge backlash to the rumors that Mephisto and Ghost Rider will be the big bad of Destin Daniel Cretton’s 2026 movie, the street-level idea seems more popular.

Even if not now, the future of the MCU could eventually be building toward aDevil’s Reignadaptation. It’s unclear what the franchise willlook like afterSecret Wars, but if Kingpin isn’t bested inBorn Again, his tenure as New York City Mayor could lead to a more comic-accurateDevil’s Reignfurther down the line.Born Againhas already been confirmed for a second season that won’t start filming until March 2025, although it will still realistically arrive beforeSpider-Man 4andSecret Wars. If season 1 sees Kingpin enact his anti-vigilante laws without going into a full-blownDevil’s Reign, it gives fans plenty of time to brush up on the comics ahead of season 2.