I’m happy to see that theMCUis fully embracing new opportunities withDaredevil: Born Again, and I’m convinced that Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will build upon the R-rated heights reached in 2024.Daredevil: Born Againwill finally premiereon March 4 andwill continue Daredevil’s storythat started in 2015’sDaredevilon Netflix. Like the original series, which aired for three seasons, the Disney+ show will maintain its TV-MA rating (the TV show equivalent of an R-rating), leaning into the violence and mature themes that helped to define the original.
It’s been a long wait, but we finally got to see how this will look in thefirst trailer forDaredevil: Born Again. The trailer unveils a litany of returning characters, including Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, Bullseye, and Kingpin, with the lattermost ascending to New York Mayor and threatening to use his power for devious means. Another exciting reprisal is Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, AKA Punisher, who can be seen clashing with Matt Murdock and wielding a hatchet. While his wasn’t the most violent moment in the trailer, I’m confident that Punisher’s return will push new boundaries for Marvel.
Deadpool & Wolverine Was The MCU’s First R-Rated Movie And Was A Big Success
Deadpool & Wolverine’s Most Violent Scenes Were Tempered By Humor
Although it’s been a long time coming,Daredevil: Born AgainfollowsDeadpool & Wolverinewith its mature age rating.Deadpool & Wolverinebroke new ground when it was released in the summer of 2024 as the MCU’s first R-rated movie. AlthoughEcho- which, incidentally, also featured Daredevil and Kingpin - was the MCU’s first foray into themes too mature for the typical PG13 rating, audiences were thrilled to learn thatDeadpool & Wolverinewouldn’t be pulling any punches now it was under Disney’s purview. Thankfully, it delivered in spades, becoming one ofthe MCU’s highest-grossing movies.
Deadpool & Wolverineis also the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, an accolade it clinched fromOppenheimer.
Deadpool & Wolverinelaid out its stall very early as Deadpool tore through hapless TVA agents with the adamantium skeleton of Logan. Thisno-holds-barred violence continued throughoutDeadpool & Wolverine, leaning into one of the most R-rated characteristics for which the franchise is known. Just as integral to the Deadpool franchise, however, isDeadpool’s signature irreverence and foul mouth, which permeatedDeadpool & Wolverinewith an air of levityand softened the impact of some of its most violent scenes. Something tells me that this may not be the case for Marvel’s next R-rated romp.
Daredevil: Born Again Already Looks Violent And I’m Certain Punisher Will Add To Its R-Rating
Punisher Is One Of Marvel’s Most Gratuitously Violent Yet Serious Characters
Speaking of pulling no punches, theDaredevil: Born Againtrailer follows suit by laying out exactly what audiences can expect with its most violent scenes. In just two short minutes, the trailer features:
The originalDaredevilwas well-known for its violent sequences, with Daredevil’s hallway brawl and Kingpin’s car door scene being two standouts.It also looks as if these two will be responsible for similarly violent sequences inDaredevil: Born Again- but Punisher promises something even more intense.
Marvel Proved Punisher Isn’t Too Dark For The MCU Almost 30 Years Ago
The issue of integrating the Punisher’s trademark violence and gore into the MCU’s family-friendly tone was actually solved years ago in animation.
I say this recognizing that Frank Castle’s brief sequence in the trailer is one of the least violent. Yetthe fact that he wields a hatchet foreshadows what we can expect from Bernthal’s appearance, and I’d wager it’s more of the characteristic hyper-violence he displayed throughout his appearances in the Defenders Saga. While theDaredevil: Born Againtrailer hinges on the themes of Daredevil struggling to suppress his violent nature, his pales in comparison to Frank Castle’s - who is easily the most violent character from this collection ofstreet-level Marvel characters.
Daredevil: Born Again Could Help The MCU Beat Deadpool & Wolverine’s Heights
Daredevil: Born Again Will Be Violent But Severe
With that in mind, I’m confident that the MCU is about to significantly ramp up the violence seen inDeadpool & Wolverine. I realize thatDeadpool & Wolverinefeatured some of themost violent scenes ever seen in the MCU. These include the titular heroes' multiple visceral scuffles to the early scene where Deadpool inadvertently gets Wolverine’s claws stuck in some particularly inopportune areas between two TVA agents. Nevertheless,Daredevil: Born Againis primed to do away with one prominent mitigating factor: the comedic effect.
Punisher, in particular, is an extremely severe character with one of the most heartrending backstories that spurs him to act out of vengeance, a motivation starkly opposed to Deadpool’s irreverence.
Punisher, in particular, is an extremely severe character with one of the most heartrending backstories that spurs him to act out of vengeance, a motivation starkly opposed to Deadpool’s irreverence. Combined with the suggestion that Daredevil and Kingpin will struggle to contain their own underlying bloodthirstiness and the immensely macabre MO of the show’s newest villain, Muse, I think we’re in for a particularly wild ride. With that in mind, I thinkDaredevil: Born Againis about to blow Marvel’s typical MO out of the water - and I can’t wait.
Daredevil: Born Again
Cast
Daredevil: Born Again follows blind lawyer Matt Murdock, who uses his heightened abilities to pursue justice in New York. As he manages a bustling law firm, former mob boss Wilson Fisk navigates political ambitions, leading both men toward a confrontation as their pasts resurface.
