Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio shaped Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again more than any actors since Robert Downey Jr. defined Tony Stark. The duo pushed Marvel Studios to completely overhaul the series during production, transforming it from a soft reboot into a true continuation of the Netflix show they made legendary.
Marvel Studios recognized Cox's and D'Onofrio's contributions through official channels. Disney’s media press site credits both Cox and D’Onofrio as executive producers on Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. This represents a new addition to the second season, as neither actor received executive producer credit during Season 1. Beyond Cox and D’Onofrio, Season 2 executive producer credits include Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Sana Amanat, Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Iain B. MacDonald, and showrunner Dario Scardapane.
Executive producer credits typically signify creative input beyond acting. The title acknowledges individuals who shape a project’s direction, tone, or production decisions. For Cox and D’Onofrio, this credit formally recognizes their influence over Born Again’s transformation.
Season 1 executive producers included Feige, D’Esposito, Winderbaum, Sana Amanat, Chris Gary, original showrunners Matt Corman and Chris Ord, and directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Cox and D’Onofrio served only as lead actors during that first season despite their crucial role in forcing the creative overhaul.
Daredevil: Born Again entered production in 2023 under original showrunners Matt Corman and Chris Ord. The duo envisioned an episodic procedural with a lighter tone than the Netflix series. Marvel Studios planned 18 episodes split into two seasons.
Cox and D’Onofrio recognized that the approach missed what made Daredevil special. After the success of the original Netflix series, both stars expressed concerns about the new direction, with Cox famously disliking one episode. They wanted Born Again closer to what made the Netflix show great.
By September 2023, the studio halted production and initiated a complete creative overhaul. Corman and Ord exited the project, and Dario Scardapane joined as the new showrunner alongside directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead.
The changes would prove costly, but Marvel Studios prioritized doing right by Cox, D’Onofrio, and Daredevil fans. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s head of streaming, television, and animation, explained the new philosophy to The Hollywood Reporter:
"We’re trying to marry the Marvel culture with the traditional television culture... It comes down to, ‘How can we tell stories in television that honor what’s so great about the source material?'"
Charlie Cox & Vincent D’Onofrio’s Upgrades Are a Positive Sign for Season 2
The executive producer credits signal Marvel Studios’ confidence in Season 2’s direction. The studio doesn’t hand out these titles casually, especially to lead actors. Granting Cox and D’Onofrio this authority demonstrates that Marvel fully trusts their creative instincts.
More importantly, it suggests Season 2 benefits from their input in ways Season 1 couldn’t. The first season required compromises and reshoots to salvage the original vision. Season 2 involved Cox and D’Onofrio from the beginning, allowing them to shape scripts, storylines, and character arcs before cameras rolled.
This collaborative approach produces better television. Actors who intimately understand their characters bring perspectives that writers and executives might miss. Cox lived as Matt Murdock through 39 Netflix episodes plus Born Again Season 1. D’Onofrio embodied Wilson Fisk across the same journey. Their combined knowledge makes them invaluable resources.
Season 2 is already showing great promise with showrunner Dario Scardapane describing production as a "better-oiled machine," suggesting everyone learned from Season 1’s tumultuous development. D’Onofrio also praised Season 2’s creative freedom during a Rhode Island Comic-Con appearance:
"We were able to Frankenstein the first season to get to the second season of the show we really wanted to make... The second season was the first time we were able to do the show that we wanted to do."
Cox similarly applauded Season 2’s scripts, believing they contain some of the series’ best writing. He praised the strong ensemble and how the season develops characters he felt were left behind in the Netflix series’ original run. All signs point to great things ahead. Thanks to Cox and D’Onofrio’s work behind the scenes, Daredevil fans should be eating well on March 24.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
