Daredevil Series Casting A Soprano’s Star In Major Role?
A frequent Marvel movie scooper is reporting Daredevil casting rumors, with Michael Gandolfini, James Gandolfini’s son and star of The Many Saints of Newark, joining the cast of Daredevil: Born Again. The upcoming Disney+ show picks up where the Netflix series, Daredevil, and She-Hulk left the character of Charlie Cox’s Matthew Murdock. Also returning in the revival series is Vincent D’Onofiro as Wilson Fisk, New York’s Kingpin of Crime, picking up where he left off in Hawkeye.
No details are available at this time as to which Daredevil character Michael Gandolfini will be playing in the series. To date, little is known about the project, with the latest casting rumors including Jenna Ortega appearing as White Tiger. Marvel’s Spider-Man, Tom Holland, is also rumored to be making an appearance, furthering the ties between the two characters as started in the blockbuster No Way Home.
Both the show and the comics of Daredevil tend to be gritty crime dramas, just the type of show that is ideal for Michael Gandolfini to continue making a name for himself. The Born Again story arc that is the basis for the upcoming streaming series was written by Frank Miller, known for his work with Sin City and Batman, in 1986. Disney will not be directly incorporating the plot of the comic, which features rampant heroin abuse and prostitution, though the more general story beats will likely make the transition to live-action.
In the 1986 comics, Karen Page leaks Daredevil’s secret identity to the Kingpin’s henchmen, forcing Matt Murdock to retreat from public life. Daredevil: Born Again will likely have a place for Michael Gandolfini on the criminal side of the law, befitting the actor’s Sopranos roots.
Part of the Daredevil side of the Marvel Universe, and with no involvement from Michael Gandolfini, is the troubled Echo solo series. The Alaqua Cox starring series, featuring the deaf assassin, completed filming but post-production issues have allegedly slowed down development of the show. As with Daredevil: Born Again, Echo is going to center on the seedy side of New York City under the thumb of the Kingpin.
Outside of the rumored Daredevil: Born Again role, Michael Gandolfini has been finding himself busy with his newfound stardom. Before The Many Saints of Newark, the actor’s highest profile role was on HBO’s The Deuce, another show about crime in New York City. Now the star has four movies in various stages of post-production, and with a possible role in the MCU, many more to come.
As for when fans can see Daredevil in action again, either with or against Michael Gandolfini’s character, that is still unknown. To date, fans know less about the upcoming Charlie Cox series than they do major films like Secret Wars. For now, Daredevil: Born Again is slated to premiere on Disney+ in Spring 2024, after other series such as Secret Invasion and Echo.
