Where Is MCU’s Daredevil From? A Matt Murdock Variant?

Daredevil: Born Again star Charlie Cox was asked if the Matt Murdock who appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk is the same as the Netflix version, or if he’s a different Multiversal version:

“I don’t think it’s a different character. I just think it’s maybe a different period of his life. I don’t think my interpretation will change – they hired the same actor. We’re saying this is a whole new… era, or variant?”

Brushing aside Cox’s use of the word “variant” for now, the actor continued by making sure to note that he has not yet read any scripts for Born Again, which could indicate that he isn’t entirely in the know about the canon status of his character:

“I haven’t read the scripts, so I don’t know. But like, it’s part of the Multiverse?”

Additionally, Cox mentioned how Murdock was presented in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which was a markedly more lighthearted take. However, the actor reassured that he still intends to portray the core of his character just as he did on the Netflix series:

“The only way I’ll change is if, tonally, the show is very different.”

Finally, he referenced the series’ subtitle, “Born Again,” which is also the name of a major arc from the comics in which Daredevil tries to carve out a new sense of existence for himself. Cox cautioned fans from believing that just because they’re called by the same title, they’ll cover the same story beats.

“I don’t think anyone should read into the name as to the kind of stories that we’re going to tell.”

A Matt Murdock Variant?

It’s especially interesting that Charlie Cox chose to use the word “variant” when describing Daredevil’s character in Born Again.

MCU devotees will surely know that the name the franchise has given to Multiversal versions of its characters is “Variants.” Cox may have not read a single script for the show, but he has undoubtedly been spoken to by Kevin Feige and his team of producers about exactly where Daredevil stands in the MCU in terms of canon.

So, for Cox to posit that Daredevil: Born Again could focus on a version of Matt from the Multiverse, perhaps he means that he’s been portraying a Variant of the character in his Marvel Studios appearances thus far and into the future. Of course, that would clash with his claims that he’s been acting as the Netflix version.

It’s still very difficult to know for absolute certain if the MCU’s Daredevil truly is the same version as the one from the Netflix series. There are solid arguments that could be made for both sides.

Hopefully, Daredevil: Born Again will finally put this debate to bed when it premieres on Disney+ in early 2024.