The multiverse is the next big narrative element that the MCU will explore in the franchise's stacked Phase 4 slate. The alternate reality shenanigans already started with WandaVision, and this will further be explored in several feature films such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the currently untitled Spider-Man 3.
Among the aforementioned projects, Spider-Man 3 is an intriguing entry since few expected that the third installment of the Tom Holland-led franchise would do a deep dive into the multiverse concept, but here we are. In the last few months of 2020, several internet-stopping reports emerged about the growing cast of the threequel, with numerous actors from past Spider-Man movies returning to reprise their roles like Jamie Foxx's Electro and Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus.
On top of that, Doctor Strange's addition in Spider-Man 3 established the multiverse storyline that the film will explore. Aside from iconic Spider-Man actors, a fan-favorite actor from Netflix's Defenders universe was heavily rumored to play a role in the Far From Home follow-up, and this was none other than Charlie Cox's Daredevil.
Details about Cox's return are still being kept under wraps, but a new rumor may shed some light about the actor's involvement during the ongoing production of Spider-Man 3.
RUMOR
In the first episode of the Phase Zero podcast, Brandon Davis of Comicbook.com shared that Charlie Cox “was on set” for Spider-Man 3, seemingly hinting that the Daredevil actor already filmed his scenes for the threequel. Davis also pointed out that “nobody knows” if Cox will portray a fresh Daredevil for the MCU.
“I have a source who has told me - a very reliable source, the same source that told me that Owen Wilson is in Loki, and that turned out to be true, and a couple others before that says — Charlie Cox was on set for Spider-Man 3. I don't know if he's Daredevil yet or a fresh Daredevil, nobody knows if he's a fresh Daredevil, if he's a fresh Matt Murdock.”
WHAT THIS MEANS
While fans can take this rumor with a grain of salt, it's still exciting to learn that Cox already joined the massive cast of Spider-Man 3 during production. It is currently unknown how Cox will factor into the narrative, but it's safe to say that his role will be minor, meaning that the actor would've only filmed a few scenes.
By connecting the dots, it's likely that Cox's time on the set of Spider-Man 3 is finished, but this doesn't mean that the actor's arrival in the MCU will be short-lived. As Davis points out, the version of Daredevil that Cox will portray has yet to be deciphered, which means that the possibilities for the character are currently endless.
If Cox ends up playing the same Matt Murdock from the Netflix universe, it will be tricky to explain the absence of Daredevil and the rest of the Defenders in the fight against Thanos during Endgame. Given that, it seems that the best way to go for Marvel Studios is to provide a fresh take on the character.
By utilizing this approach, it gives the Daredevil character a chance to shine once more but within the confines of the MCU, and Cox playing the street-level hero is no doubt a win-win situation.
Interestingly, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige previously admitted that “everything is on the board" when he was asked about the potential return of the lead Defenders from the Netflix shows. In a way, this bodes well for both the MCU and fans of the aforementioned series.
There's a good chance that Daredevil's involvement in Spider-Man 3 could end up becoming the first vital piece in the puzzle that could lead to an imminent domino effect to lay the groundwork for the return of other characters like Luke Cage and Jessica Jones down the line.
