Marvel Studios Just Unveiled Its Next Major Daredevil Villain

The highly anticipated return of the Man Without Fear in Marvel Studios' Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is set to elevate the show's stakes beyond the familiar, street-level crime of Hell’s Kitchen. The recent announcement regarding the role of Matthew Lillard, a veteran actor celebrated for his extensive work in the horror genre, as the new antagonist, Mr. Charles, signals a dramatic expansion of Daredevil's rogues' gallery. Lillard's casting amongst a host of others was confirmed earlier this year, but the specific character remained a mystery until recently

Marvel’s Head of TV and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, confirmed the pivotal role Lillard will play in the upcoming second season of Born Again, positioning Mr. Charles as a figure of global influence who complicates life for both Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. 

When discussing the casting of Matthew Lillard with Entertainment Weekly, the interviewer specifically referenced the actor’s extensive history in horror, from classics like Scream to modern favorites like Scooby-Doo, probing whether his presence was intended to evoke a distinct "vibe or imagery" related to that genre. 

Winderbaum’s response, while not explicitly confirming a horror aesthetic, indicated that the character will be entangled in complex politics and power struggles, suggesting that Lillard’s unique persona, often associated with chaotic energy or hidden menace, is being used to embody a massive, sophisticated threat. 

"He plays a character named Mr. Charles," Winderbaum explained. "The story is about power. When Wilson Fisk takes over New York, not just as a mayor but as a king in a way, it puts him in a new class of power players on the international stage. Matthew Lillard's character represents that."

MCU Villains in Daredevil’s Rogues’ Gallery

Kingpin (Wilson Fisk) 

Wilson Fisk is unequivocally Daredevil’s most formidable and defining foe. Portrayed as a meticulous, brutally powerful, and deeply emotional crime lord, Fisk's desire is not merely wealth, but to legitimately own and remake New York City in his own image, believing himself to be the city's savior. 

His arc has consistently driven the narrative, from a hidden figure pulling strings in Daredevil Season 1 to a publicly elected Mayor in Born Again. Fisk solidifies his power as mayor by seizing control of the city during a manufactured crisis and, in the season 1 finale, he formally declares martial law across New York City through his Safer Streets Initiative.

Vanessa Fisk

More than a romantic interest, Vanessa Marianna is Kingpin’s moral anchor and co-conspirator. She represents the softer, yet dangerously uncompromising, side of Fisk, giving him validation and purpose. Her presence often encourages Fisk’s most violent tendencies when she is threatened. She functions as a villain by enabling and protecting the Kingpin, becoming an essential part of his life and operations.

Wesley (James Wesley) 

James Wesley served as Wilson Fisk's right-hand man, personal assistant, and primary liaison during the early days of the Kingpin's rise. He was the efficient, cold, and calculating face of Fisk’s organization, handling all logistical and diplomatic issues with ease. Wesley’s fatal confrontation with Karen Page was a pivotal moment, forcing Fisk to step out of the shadows and embrace his true identity. 

Madame Gao 

Madame Gao, portrayed by actress Wai Ching Ho, was a deceptively frail-looking but ruthlessly cunning leader of an ancient, global criminal organization known as the Hand. Operating a massive heroin network in Hell's Kitchen, the Steel Serpent branded drugs were manufactured by a workforce who had blinded themselves out of faith in her cause. 

Despite her unassuming appearance, Gao possessed immense wisdom, martial arts proficiency, and superhuman abilities, including longevity (claiming to have lived since at least the 17th century) and the power to manipulate chi energy to repel opponents with telekinesis. Marvel will, however, abandon the use of such power in Born Again season 2.

Elektra Natchios 

Elektra, Matt Murdock's complicated former lover and fellow vigilante who was trained alongside him by Stick, is rumoured to be making a comeback in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, with Élodie Yung likely to reprise her role if this happens. The character, known for her lethal methods and ties to the ancient order of The Hand, was a key antagonist in the original Netflix series. 

While Marvel Studios has not officially confirmed her return, several other main cast members from the Netflix show have been officially announced, including Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Vincent D'Onofrio (Kingpin), Jon Bernthal (Punisher), Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson), and Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page). The potential return of Elektra would allow the new Disney+ series to explore her ambiguous fate after the end of The Defenders miniseries

The Punisher (Frank Castle)

Frank Castle, or The Punisher, is a military veteran who wages a one-man war on crime after his family is murdered. While possessing a similar goal to Daredevil (eliminating crime), his methods, lethal force, and mass murder put him in direct and intense conflict with Matt Murdock, who strictly adheres to his no-kill principle. Castle acted as the primary philosophical antagonist in Daredevil season 2, challenging Matt’s belief system and approach to justice. 

The Punisher is expected to return in the second season of Born Again. There were subtle hints of his return in the first season, including the appearance of his iconic skull symbol being used by corrupt elements within the police force.

Bullseye (Benjamin Poindexter)

Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter is an unstable but highly capable FBI agent manipulated by Wilson Fisk. Dex's extraordinary talent for precision and targeting, making any object a lethal projectile, was exploited by Fisk, who weaponized Dex’s fractured psychology. 

Dex became the ultimate pawn and doppelgänger villain, donning a copy of the Daredevil suit to ruin Matt Murdock’s reputation and serve as Fisk's personal assassin. Actor Wilson Bethel is reprising his fan-favorite role, with the character expected to fully embrace his comic book persona, Bullseye, in the upcoming Disney+ series. 

Muse

Muse is a terrifying new antagonist in the MCU, appearing in the first season of Daredevil: Born Again. Drawn directly from the Daredevil comic books, Muse, played by actor Hunter Doohan as Bastian Cooper, is an unnerving and prolific serial killer who murders people and uses their bodies and surrounding architecture to create macabre, often commentary-driven, works of art throughout the city. 

In the show, Fisk strategically leverages the widespread public fear caused by Muse's gruesome crimes to further his anti-vigilante agenda, creating an ironic dynamic where Daredevil and the Kingpin briefly share a common, albeit indirect, enemy before Muse is killed by one of his potential victims, Heather Glenn.

Buck Cashman 

Buck Cashman, known in the comics as the super-powered mercenary Bullet, is Wilson Fisk's new right-hand man in Born Again. Following the death of James Wesley, Buck steps in as Fisk’s chief operative, fixer, and political muscle. He is instrumental in Fisk's mayoral tenure, managing clandestine activities and leveraging intelligence to protect Fisk’s newly established political empire, solidifying his role as the Kingpin’s critical agent on the ground.

Devlin

Devlin represents the street-level criminal element that Daredevil frequently confronts. In Born Again, he is depicted as a minor but aggressive antagonist, typically a robber or henchman, whose actions are quickly met with Matt Murdock’s brutal but principled justice. 

Devlin is specifically involved in a double homicide, a truck hijacking at Red Hook Port, and later masterminds a bank robbery to steal a diamond needed for a rival mob payment, a plan that is ultimately thwarted by Matt Murdock and the NYPD. He served as an effective early antagonist to re-establish Matt's character and his street-level vigilantism.

Mr. Charles

Mr. Charles is established as a new antagonist on the field who is "as influential in many ways as Fisk is." This confirms that while Daredevil’s fight has traditionally been a local battle against organized crime, the political ascension of Mayor Fisk forces the stakes into the realm of international diplomacy and high-level negotiation. 

The inclusion of Mr. Charles is designed to put pressure on Kingpin, creating a dynamic where Fisk is "getting squeezed a little bit," dealing with the highly influential Mr. Charles on the global level while simultaneously battling the vigilante Daredevil on the streets below. Lillard's casting thus brings a new, white-collar layer of antagonism, proving that the greatest threats to New York can wear custom suits and deal in state secrets rather than simple drug deals and murder.