The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had some excellent casting decisions over nearly two decades. They’ve recruited some of Hollywood’s biggest stars after becoming the industry’s most popular franchise, but Marvel’s empire was also built on the back of casting lesser-known actors who could transform into prominent Marvel heroes.
When thinking about the best MCU casting decisions in history, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man will come to mind first for many. He was a risky choice at the time, so much so that Jon Favreau had to fight for studio approval to use the man who became the face of the entire franchise. Chris Evans as Captain America, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow are other early examples of Marvel landing the perfect performers.
Over the years, Tom Holland playing Spider-Man, the late great Chadwick Boseman portraying Black Panther, Florence Pugh taking on Yelena Belova, Iman Vellani landing the dream role of Ms. Marvel, and Jon Bernthal suiting up as The Punisher have proven that Marvel has a specialty for casting. (The MCU’s casting director, Sarah Halley Finn, is a key component to the overall exceptional quality.)
But in terms of the very best casting decisions in MCU history, Charlie Cox playing Daredevil ranks near the top. Today marks the 12th anniversary of him landing the lead role in Netflix’s Daredevil, as he was officially announced as the Man Without Fear by Marvel on May 27, 2014.
Why Charlie Cox Is Such A Great Daredevil
Charlie Cox as Daredevil smirking in costume in Netflix’s Daredevil
While it’s only been recently that Cox’s Daredevil has been fully embraced by the MCU, he made it clear from the very beginning of Daredevil that he was the right man to play Matt Murdock in any capacity. After the unsuccessful iteration played by Ben Affleck, Netflix and Marvel TV’s grounded reboot provided more runway for Cox to really dive into the depths of a fantastic, complicated vigilante.
Daredevil is a character that requires an actor to be incredibly intense, emotionally available, have a sense of charm and wit, and convey the toll of his dual life. Cox has done all of this without missing a beat. He’s often able to portray a wide spectrum of emotions with subtle facial expressions, but he’s also capable of going big when the scene demands it.
Hell’s Kitchen · Street-Level Edition How Well Do You Know Daredevil?
♻OriginsBlinded
☠VillainsKingpin
⚖AlliesJustice
⚔CombatNo killing
🎥TV SeriesNetflix
01
Matt Murdock was blinded as a child by radioactive material that fell from a truck. While he lost his sight, the accident gave him something extraordinary in return. What did the radioactive exposure give Matt?
✓ Correct! The radioactive chemicals that blinded young Matt Murdock simultaneously supercharged his remaining senses to extraordinary levels and gave him a radar-like spatial awareness. He can “see” the world around him through sound, smell, touch, and taste with superhuman precision — making him one of Marvel’s most unique heroes.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is superhuman radar-like senses. The radioactive accident didn’t give Matt strength, telepathy, or X-ray vision — it heightened all his remaining senses to superhuman levels and granted him a radar sense that lets him perceive the world around him in 360 degrees.
02
Daredevil’s greatest enemy is a massive, calculating crime lord who controls most of the criminal underworld in New York City. This villain is known by his real name and his title. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, is Daredevil’s most iconic adversary. Despite having no superpowers, Fisk’s immense physical strength, ruthless intelligence, and iron grip on New York’s criminal underworld make him one of Marvel’s most terrifying villains. Their battle is deeply personal — both men believe they’re saving Hell’s Kitchen.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is Wilson Fisk / The Kingpin. Bullseye is a deadly assassin, The Hand is a ninja organization, and The Owl is a lesser crime lord. But the Kingpin is the definitive Daredevil villain — the immovable force that controls New York’s underworld from the shadows.
03
By day, Matt Murdock fights for justice in a courtroom as a lawyer. He co-founded a law firm with his best friend in Hell’s Kitchen. Who is Matt’s law partner and best friend?
✓ Correct! Franklin “Foggy” Nelson has been Matt Murdock’s best friend and law partner since they met at Columbia Law School. Together they founded Nelson & Murdock, a small firm dedicated to defending the people of Hell’s Kitchen. Foggy is the heart and conscience of the partnership — often the one pulling Matt back from the edge.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is Franklin “Foggy” Nelson. Ben Urich is a journalist at the Daily Bugle, Danny Rand is Iron Fist, and Luke Cage is a Harlem-based hero. Foggy Nelson is Matt’s irreplaceable best friend, law partner, and moral anchor.
04
The Netflix Daredevil series (2015–2018) was praised for its dark tone and incredible fight choreography. Which actor portrayed Matt Murdock/Daredevil in the Netflix series and later in the MCU’s Daredevil: Born Again?
✓ Correct! Charlie Cox brought Matt Murdock to life with a nuanced, critically acclaimed performance across three seasons of Netflix’s Daredevil. His portrayal was so beloved that Marvel Studios brought him back for the MCU, appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home and starring in Daredevil: Born Again.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is Charlie Cox. Ben Affleck played Daredevil in the 2003 film, Oscar Isaac is Moon Knight, and Jon Bernthal plays the Punisher (who appeared in Daredevil Season 2). Charlie Cox is the definitive live-action Man Without Fear.
05
Bullseye is one of Daredevil’s deadliest foes, a psychopathic assassin with an extraordinary ability. What is Bullseye’s signature power?
✓ Correct! Bullseye possesses an innate ability to turn virtually any object into a lethal projectile with perfect accuracy. From playing cards to paper clips, anything in his hands becomes a deadly weapon. He’s responsible for some of the darkest moments in Daredevil’s history, including the murder of Elektra.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is perfect accuracy — he never misses a target. Bullseye doesn’t have super speed, invisibility, or mind control. His terrifying gift is unerring aim — he can kill with a toothpick, a playing card, or anything he can throw.
06
Elektra Natchios is a complex character in Daredevil’s life — sometimes lover, sometimes enemy. She is a deadly assassin trained by a mysterious ninja organization. What is the name of this organization?
✓ Correct! The Hand is a secretive ninja organization that plays a major role in Daredevil’s mythology. Founded centuries ago, they deal in assassination, mysticism, and resurrection. Elektra was trained by The Hand and has been both their weapon and their enemy — her complicated ties to the organization mirror her complicated relationship with Matt.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is The Hand. The League of Shadows is from DC’s Batman universe, HYDRA is the broader Marvel villain organization, and The Foot Clan is from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (actually inspired by The Hand). The Hand is the ancient ninja order central to Daredevil’s world.
07
Frank Castle, the Punisher, has a complicated relationship with Daredevil. They share a mission to fight crime but disagree fundamentally on methods. What is the core philosophical difference between Daredevil and the Punisher?
✓ Correct! This is the defining tension between Daredevil and the Punisher. Matt Murdock, a devout Catholic and lawyer, believes in the justice system and refuses to cross the line into killing. Frank Castle believes the system is broken and that lethal force is the only way to permanently stop criminals. Their rooftop debate in Season 2 of the Netflix series is one of the greatest scenes in superhero television.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is that Daredevil refuses to kill while the Punisher kills criminals. It’s actually the Punisher who uses weapons (guns, explosives), and neither works with police. Daredevil fights at all hours. The real divide is moral: Matt believes in redemption and the law, while Frank believes in permanent, lethal justice.
08
In the Daredevil Netflix series, Vincent D’Onofrio’s portrayal of Wilson Fisk was widely acclaimed. In Season 3, Fisk manipulated a specific FBI agent to become the new Bullseye. What is this character’s name?
✓ Correct! Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter, played brilliantly by Wilson Bethel, was an FBI agent with a troubled past and an innate ability for perfect marksmanship. Fisk recognized his psychological vulnerabilities and manipulated him into donning a Daredevil suit to frame Matt Murdock, setting up Dex’s transformation into the classic villain Bullseye.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is Benjamin Poindexter (Dex). Ray Nadeem was another FBI agent manipulated by Fisk but in a different way, Brett Mahoney is an NYPD sergeant allied with Daredevil, and Mitchell Ellison is the editor of the New York Bulletin. Dex is the one Fisk groomed to become Bullseye.
Case Closed Your Hell’s Kitchen Verdict
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Are you the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen — or just a blind spot?
It’s also long been impressive how well Cox plays the blind lawyer. Whenever Matt’s glasses are off and he’s not wearing a Daredevil helmet, the actor has to avoid making direct eye contact. Cox has admitted he’s trained his eyes to be unfocused so that he can more convincingly pass as being blind. It’s often easy to forget that the actor actually can see while watching him act in these scenes.
Over three seasons of Daredevil, a season of The Defenders, two seasons of Daredevil: Born Again, and appearances in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Spider-Man: No Way Home, Cox has been tasked with playing every aspect of Daredevil, sometimes even in a variety of genres. But no matter the circumstance, the actor has always been up for the challenge.
Charlie Cox’s MCU Future As Daredevil Is Brighter Than Ever 12 Years Later
Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock in the suit in Daredevil: Born Again season 2
For as great as Cox’s Daredevil casting is, Marvel Studios is not responsible. It was Marvel TV and Netflix, along with Daredevil showrunner Steven S. DeKnight and casting directors Laray Mayfield and Julie Schubert, who landed on choosing the Boardwalk Empire alum. Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios now get to reap the rewards of their amazing decision.
Rather than headlining a Netflix series that could only make vague references to the MCU, Cox is now leading a series that can directly connect to the movies and pull in characters and references to the larger franchise. With Daredevil: Born Again season 3 currently filming, Cox has managed to remain a key figure in Marvel’s television programming. There are no definitive reasons why the revival series can’t continue for many more seasons.
His MCU future very well may include more movie crossovers. There is a hope Cox will get to play Daredevil in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. Fans are also eager to see Daredevil and Spider-Man receive a proper team-up on the big screen.
These types of future appearances will only further cement Charlie Cox as one of the MCU‘s best casting decisions. Hopefully, they will bring even more love for his incredible work for more than a decade after he was chosen to lead Daredevil.
