Netflix's Daredevil showrunner Steven DeKnight is a vocal fan of the upcoming MCU reboot, Daredevil: Born Again, and his latest reaction to a rumor further solidifies that claim.
The upcoming Disney+ series is set to bring back Charlie Cox's Marvel hero to the forefront, but this time, it is expected to be filled with MCU references and Easter eggs.
While the main players like Cox as Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio as Kingpin are already confirmed to return, the involvement of other cast members and DeKnight himself is still in question. The Marvel showrunner was even hopeful about seeing the original cast from the series coming back to the MCU's Daredevil series.
Now, as production is set to begin for the series in 2023, DeKnight has responded to the latest rumor that claims a surprising TV rating for Daredevil: Born Again.
Netflix's Daredevil Showrunner Reacts to Disney+ Show's R-Rating
Insider Daniel Richtman previously shared that Daredevil: Born Again will "likely" be TV-MA (the television equivalent of R-rated). If true, this makes the Daredevil reboot Marvel Studios' first R-rated live-action show in 2024.
Netflix's Daredevil showrunner Steven DeKnight saw the R-rating rumor in a tweet posted by Marvel Updates, to which he responded by saying "Love it!" indicating that he's on board with the idea.
In a separate tweet, a Marvel fan asked DeKnight if he would return to write an episode or two for Born Again. While saying that he would, the former Marvel showrunner explained that he's "unavailable for the next few years" due to his other commitments:
"I would but I’m currently unavailable for the next few years due to other commitments. Plus I want the new creative team to be free to do their thing!"
On a related note, during Daredevil's guest appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, DeKnight expressed his excitement seeing the pair on-screen, admitting that he "could not ship" Murdock and Walters "any harder."
DeKnight also offered high praise to the team behind the series for "taking what we did with Daredevil and running with it," clearly indicating that the same elements from Netflix's version are still present:
"SHE-HULK SPOILER!!!
I could not ship Matt Murdock and Jennifer Walters any harder if I tried. And holy shit, how charming is Charlie Cox? Huge props to the She-Hulk team for taking what we did with Daredevil and running with it. Loved every minute!"
Why Netflix's Showrunner's R-Rating Approval Isn't Surprising
It isn't surprising that Daredevil showrunner Steven DeKnight gave his stamp of approval that Daredevil: Born Again is TV-MA, considering that the Netflix show has a similar rating.
Although it is still a rumor, giving the show a TV-MA rating makes sense for a gritty series like Daredevil to fulfill the needed elements to make it work. One bright spot of the Netflix series is its dark tone, and it seems that the MCU will look to retain those aspects in order to achieve similar success.
At this stage, the MCU seems ready to take on an adult-oriented approach, especially now that Deadpool 3 will also debut with a similar R-rating on the big screen.
Given that Daredevil: Born Again and Deadpool 3 appear to be leading the charge in the TV-MA department, it's reasonable to assume that more projects under the Marvel Studios umbrella with similar ratings will soon arrive.
Hopefully, DeKnight will return to his Marvel roots in the future to produce more TV-MA-rated content for the MCU.
Daredevil: Born Again is set to stream on Disney+ in Spring 2024.
