Daredevil is one of Marvel Comic’s most popular characters, and for very good reasons. He’s blind. But he posses a kind of mutant, almost, that enables him to see via radar sense. As long as he can hear sound waves clearly, he can “see” objects. It’s a unique concept that draws our sympathy and satisfies our heroic need.
But when 20th Century Fox brought the red-leather warrior to the big screen, the film received mixed reviews at best. Roger Ebert gave it 3 out of 4 stars, but many others were not so kind. It’s not too hard to see why. The plot was not quite what we expected. Spider-Man and X-Men brought the genre back by showing us more origin stories. Daredevil featured an origin, but the origin didn’t dominate the film. In fact, the origin occurs in a quick flashback sequence at the beginning of the film. The film gets that out of the way and tries to move forward. We see the origin, then spend our time wondering what he’s doing today, how he’ll solve the current problem. It’s ambitious, but a bit uncertain. Is it origin story or not? It tries to do both.
Casting was an issue for some. Ben Affleck sold the Matt Murdock character, but as Daredevil there seemed to be something missing. He’s neither very heroic, nor antagonistic. It just didn’t suit him. As for the female lead, Jennifer Garner nailed that, but was she really Elektra? Well, the film’s portrayal of the comic character strayed quite a bit from the source. That was tough for many to accept. In spite of the weaknesses, Affleck and Garner demonstrated a very real chemistry on screen, almost enough to make us forget we’re watching a superhero film.
The actor who stole the show, however, was Michael Clark Duncan as the Kingpin. But here’s where the film further strayed from the source material. In the comics, Kingpin isn’t black. But Duncan’s presence on screen was so menacing, so captivating, that it’s closer to the real character than any of the others.
Despite all the criticism some consumers give it, executives have hinted at a sequel for years. Now, the possibility is clearer than ever. Several statements have surfaced just this year. As with X-Men and Spider-man, Daredevil has nearly 40 years of comic story arcs. The possibilities abound, and a few producers have made it clear.
In 2005, Avi Arad stated on mtv.com that another film will begin development once the rights pass from Fox to Marvel Studios. Michael Clark Duncan expressed interest in returning in the three years that followed. Ben Affleck, on the other hand, apparently hated the entire experience, and has sworn off ever doing another superhero film. That’s fine, since he didn’t really sell the Daredevil roll in the first place. An August 1 ScreenRant piece mentions Jason Statham’s desire to take up the red leather. Frank Miller further expressed his interest in Statham’s involvement. Could the Transporter become Daredevil?
Director Mark Steven Johnson wants to return, giving hints of including Mr. Fear as the film’s villain. It’s a possibility. But in October, 20th Century Fox’s Tim Rothman stated for IESB that “a Daredevil reboot is something we are thinking very seriously about. . .it needs a visionary at the level that Chris Nolan was.” Nolan is best known for bringing back Batman to the screen. This statement casts a little doubt on Johnson’s return to the directing chair for another Daredevil film, but it does mention strong desire for another film.
If The Incredible Hulk has taught us anything, it’s that a film series can start from scratch, completely ignoring a very recent film. Daredevil might succeed there, but does it have to be another reboot? Audiences are not always so forgiving. Reboots work sometimes, but sometimes they don’t. It’s an approach we must take with great care.
Regardless, another Daredevil is almost certainly a possibility. And it’s high time the Guardian Devil had an amazing outing. Spider-man, the X-men, Iron Man, and the Hulk can’t have all the fun.
