The Untold Story Behind Daredevil's Journey from Film to Netflix
Charlotte Adams
Updated on May 17, 2026
By Published Apr 1, 2026, 9:26 AM EDT Andy Behbakht has worked as an entertainment journalist since 2010, covering all the latest in Hollywood on both the big and small screens, from staying on top of the biggest breaking news, analyzing movies and television shows in Hollywood, to in-depth interviews with actors and storytellers.
Andy's career includes having worked for publications such as FanSided, KSiteTV, TV Fanatic, It's Just Movies, Heroic Hollywood, TV Overmind, and more. Outside of his career as an established reporter, Andy is the host and producer of The Showrunner Whisperer, The Flash Podcast, the editor-in-chief of Multiverse of Color, and the network director of DC TV Podcasts. Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
It turns out Matt Murdock's movie debut could have happened sooner than 2026's Spider-Man: No Way Home.
In a new interview with the podcast, Drew Goddard, who helped develop Netflix's TV show, shared that the live-action series was not initially intended for the small screen, but rather as a two-part feature film. The screenwriter stated, "I was around when they were doing one of the Avengers, just hanging out, talking about other things, and I was always like, 'Why aren’t you making Daredevil the movie? I don’t understand.' I think there was concern that it was too adult. The Marvel model at that time was definitely not a play to adults."
Goddard elaborated, "I remember saying, 'Well, here’s my vision. My vision is that the first one would be The Kingpin. Find a way to make that special.'" For the second Daredevil movie, he revealed that "the villain of the second movie should be The Punisher. I remember that everyone in the room was like, 'Oh, that’s exciting.' " The idea of having Matt and Frank Castle together was extremely exciting for him, as he commented that “I love anytime two quote-unquote 'heroes' do battle with each other, right? We got to do it. We just did it on Netflix, which I think was the right fit for that."
Would A Daredevil Movie Have Been Better For Marvel Studios?
Ever since Charlie Cox brought the iconic superhero into , he has become one of the all-time favorites in the franchise, and a major part behind his depiction of the Marvel vigilante is specifically the Netflix series and the structure that came with it. There is only so much a two-hour film can do for a character like Daredevil versus a TV show that, at the time, had 13 episodes per season, with more room to explore the larger mythology and themes.
It's also crucial to remember that at the time, gritty superheroes like Daredevil were not really what Marvel Studios was exploring on the big screen, as the Avengers had always been the primary focus for the films. But for more intimate and character-driven payoffs, Netflix was the platform that established Daredevil as popular as he is today with general viewers. That is why the Marvel legend has continued to have such a strong following in the MCU to this day, including with .
Had a film been made instead, it could have potentially meant that Cox had never been cast, as it was the original Marvel Television team that tapped the actor to bring Daredevil into the MCU. His portrayal of Matt Murdock has become as highly regarded as Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man or Chris Evans' Captain America, and it's thanks to the creatives who were behind the Netflix drama. In the end, Goddard's plans with Kingpin and Punisher also served as a great structure for the original TV show.
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The original Daredevil TV show is available through streaming on Disney+, while new episodes of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 drop every Tuesday on the platform.
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