Netflix's Daredevil showrunner slammed Marvel Studios and Disney online for the upcoming rebooted series starring Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio.
Back in May 2022, a new series (now titled Daredevil: Born Again) was confirmed to be coming to Disney+ following Matt Murdock within the MCU.
Considering the return of Cox, D'Onofrio, and Jon Bernthal's Punisher, many fans have been questioning whether this is a continuation of the Netflix series or a total reboot.
While Marvel Studios hasn't explicitly called it a "reboot," decisions like recasting Vanessa Fisk, redoing Kingpin's origin, and not bringing back Foggy Nelson and Karen Page clearly indicate that this is a new story.
Netflix Daredevil Showrunner Calls Out Disney
The showrunner of Netflix's Daredevil Season 1, Steven McKnight, has responded to a post on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the Daredevil: Born Again Disney+ reboot.
McKnight was recently tagged in a message, posted by Thomas (identifying himself as a crew member of the Netflix Marvel shows), who wrote that "they cancel[ed] Daredevil once crew got full raise and holiday/vacation pay:"
"And not only did they cancel Daredevil once crew got full raise and holiday/vacation pay…. The Disney+ reboot is back to season one IATSE contract terms. It’s a f****** scam. I wonder if Steven DeKnight knows that!"
This prompted McKnight's response, calling this move to reboot the Daredevil show after three seasons "an old Disney scam:"
"It’s an old Disney scam where they slightly rename a series to reset contract terms back to first season. Needs to be addressed by all the guilds/unions and crushed!"
If Born Again was Season 4 of Netflix's Daredevil show, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees wouldn't be resetting its contractual terms, offering better crew members benefits as more seasons are produced.
Disney Channel childhood actor Joey Bragg (Liv & Maddie) recently addressed a similar situation to what McKnight brought up.
On the Cash Cuties Pod, he explained that the company didn’t have to pay 100% of the minimum wage to actors during the first three seasons. In the fourth season, Disney rebooted the series to Liv & Maddie: Cali Style, utilizing this loophole to pay its talent less money.
Other Disney shows like The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Hannah Montana rebranded their fourth seasons, becoming The Suite Life on Deck and Hannah Montana Forever, respectively.
Another interesting example is Bunk'd, a successful Disney Channel series that was initially a spin-off of Jessie following its fourth and final season.
What's the Problem With Rebooting Daredevil for the MCU?
Major television companies are no strangers to working around rules and exposing new ways to save money and (potentially) avoid paying their workers.
So it should come as no surprise that there are two ongoing actors' and writers' strikes in an attempt for more fair pay and compensation in this new streaming world.
Of course, actors like Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio are pleased to be welcomed into the MCU, having already appeared a total of three times since 2021.
However, those who worked on the Daredevil show and other Marvel series on Netflix never reached a fourth season. Many fans are excited to see the reboot, but it appears to be coming at a cost.
Amidst the ongoing strikes, spurred by a fight for more equal and fair pay for those who act, write, and work on sets, this additional information could be seen as disheartening for many.
With production currently delayed, there's no release date set for Daredevil: Born Again.
