Brad Winderbaum on ‘Daredevil: Born Again’: ‘Both a character study and high-octane action’

Executive producer Brad Winderbaum says, nothing is arbitrary in the show. The violence is born of character and often comes at a cost

Nearly 10 years after Daredevil dropped on Netflix, comes the continuation/revival, Daredevil: Born Again. Running for three seasons from 2015 to 2018, Daredevil tells the story of Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer by day and masked vigilante by night, keeping the streets of his beloved New York safe from the scum of the earth including Kingpin/Wilson Fisk.

Created by Dario Scardapane (who is also the showrunner), Matt Corman and Chris Ord, Daredevil: Born Again is the 13th series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and based on Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s eponymous comic book storyline.

All who are desperately trawling streamers for Daredevil to be up to speed for Born Again, need not fear, as the show is designed for new audiences, according to Brad Winderbaum, who executive produces alongside Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito and Sana Amanat among others.

Speaking on a video call from New York, Winderbaum says, “If you’ve never seen or read any Daredevil before, you can pick it up right at episode one of Daredevil: Born Again, follow the story and have a fulfilling experience.” If, however, you do know the old show, and you know Marvel, Winderbaum says, you will get a lot of references along the way. “The story is not based on those references. The backbone of the story is new.”

Daredevil Season 3 ended with Daredevil, played by Charlie Cox, defeating Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) and starting a new law firm with his friends. “A lot of time has passed since the original show,” says Winderbaum. “Life has happened behind the scenes that have changed both of them. Matt has found a balance between being Daredevil and having a thriving law firm with his two best friends, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll).”

Fisk, Winderbaum says, has gone through a spiritual awakening. “He realises he wants to be a good man and a good mayor for the city of New York and to have a legacy that outlives him. Unfortunately, both these men are lying to themselves, and those pressures are going to come to bear and explode in the show in a gigantic way.”

Fears of the series being made milder for Disney’s family-friendly audience, can be laid to rest with the presence of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher. “Daredevil: Born Again is both a character study and high-octane action,” says Winderbaum. “The violence and action are always born of character. Nothing is arbitrary. It often comes at a cost for these characters and involves an ethical decision that one or both of them has to make.”