Daredevil: Born Again is set to place the spotlight on Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock, with it finally giving the character a chance to be thoroughly explored in a historic 18-episode series on Disney+.
The exact plot details of the show are still shrouded in secrecy, but Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige did confirm that Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin will make a comeback.
Kingpin's return led many to speculate if other Defenders from Marvel's Netflix shows will return, such as Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones and Mike Colter's Luke Cage.
Now, a new rumor may have revealed a highly-anticipated reunion between two Marvel heroes.
Punisher & Daredevil Reunion on Disney+?
The Hollywood Reporter first reported that Charlie Cox's Daredevil is seeking to reunite with Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones in the upcoming Echo series, leading to a much-awaited reunion between the two Defenders.
Many have speculated that the pair's team-up in Echo would lead to an extended reunion on Daredevil: Born Again, but it seems that this will not be the case anymore based on a new batch of rumors.
Entertainment scooper KC Walsh of The Geeks Worldwide implied on Twitter that Jon Bernthal's Punisher could show up on Daredevil: Born Again to take the rumored role that was initially slated for Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones.
Walsh shared this tweet alongside a GIF of Bernthal's Punisher:
"I know I was in denial about this but it sounds like another popular character will show up as well due to a scheduling conflict as it appears they will take the rumored role Jessica Jones had."
Moreover, Cape Time podcast host Tom Smith added more context to Walsh's tweet, saying that Born Again is "re-introducing" Marvel's Netflix characters to the mainstream:
"Basically Born Again is re-introducing the Netflix characters to the mainstream and they planned to bring in Ritter but there’s a scheduling problem for Born Again. So they needed another Netflix star to fill the role. It’s Jon Bernthal. Wouldn’t be shocked if Ritter cameos tho."
Reliable scooper Charles Murphy of Murphy's Multiverse corroborated Walsh and Smith's claims about Bernthal's inclusion in Daredevil's Disney+ series. However, Murphy did point out that he's "absolutely not confirming" anything about the subject, saying that he's just sharing what he heard:
"FWIW, I too have heard about the Bernthal buzz. May remember months back I said I was told to pump the brakes on Ritter joining Echo/DD: Born Again. This was why & Bernthal's name was mentioned.
I will also say that I am absolutely not confirming. Just sharing what I heard."
In a follow-up tweet, Murphy restated that the original plan was for Jessica Jones to be mentioned in Echo before appearing fully in Daredevil: Born Again. Assuming a similar plan were to be applied to the Punisher's return, Murphy mentioned that he doesn't "think Bernthal shot anything yet" for Echo.
How Punisher & Daredevil Reunite (Theory)
Amid all the rumors and speculation, a reunion between Jon Bernthal's Punisher and Charlie Cox's Daredevil is an exciting prospect, especially after their impressive dynamic in Netflix's Daredevil Season 2.
At this stage, it remains to be seen how Punisher fits in the Daredevil: Born Again puzzle, but there might be a clue about the fact that the character is filling in for Jessica Jones' original role.
It's possible that Matt Murdock's quest in finding former allies is tied to Kingpin's return to New York. While it is still unknown if the events from the Netflix shows are canon, there's a chance that some of it actually happened to the main MCU.
Events such as Daredevil and Punisher's clash and Kingpin's return to prison could be incorporated. Given that Kingpin is now free and wreaking havoc (secretly) in New York, it looks like Daredevil will need all the help that he can get, and it starts by recruiting Punisher.
Seeking Punisher as a valuable ally in the fight against Kingpin also makes sense, considering that the pair has a history from the comics and the Netflix shows.
Whatever the case, all will be revealed when Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney+ in spring 2024.
