Daredevil: Born Again was originally going to have an episode with Punisher and Echo

Did you know that Daredevil: Born Again was initially planned to feature a special crossover episode with The Punisher and Echo?

According to IGN, the two fan-favorite anti-heroes would have shared screen time before the creative restructuring, which altered the series' direction.

The reimagining of the Disney+ show, as a revival of the legendary Daredevil series on Netflix, was praised for its darker tone, street-level realism, and mature storytelling.

The crossover episode was hinted at in early drafts to touch on the topic of vigilante morality. Although the episode was later abandoned in reshoots, the concept is still one of the most discussed what-ifs in MCU television history.

More about Daredevil: Born Again

According to writer Jesse Wigutow, the initial scripts of Daredevil: Born Again included an episode featuring an interaction between Frank Castle/The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) and Maya Lopez/Echo (Alaqua Cox).

In the midst of shooting, however, Marvel reorganized Daredevil: Born Again, bringing in new writers and showrunner Dario Scardapane to simplify the plot and make better use of Matt Murdock's personal narrative. Even as Bernthal and Alaqua Cox were confirmed to appear, the crossover episode was condensed into a dedicated episode to fit the story.

Wigutow raised hopes, saying:

"Who knows, maybe it comes back again, but the story has been a little kind of crooked in terms of the development, and it was part of a former idea."

Even after the change, fans remain hopeful that they will be able to see the trio share scenes in other future Marvel projects. Having confirmed that Maya Lopez and Echo have a redemption arc to work on and having assurances that The Punisher will make an appearance in Born Again, the groundwork is already in place to potentially revisit this canceled idea.

Cast of Daredevil: Born Again

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Daredevil Born Again cast includes Charlie Cox playing Matt Murdock/Daredevil, the blind lawyer and Hell's Kitchen vigilante. Vincent D’Onofrio comes back as the powerful Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, and the two have another emotionally-driven conflict.

Jon Bernthal plays the role of Frank Castle/The Punisher, and his energy and uncompromising attitude bring the Marvel brand back. Another returning character is Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez/Echo, whose own Disney+ show has recently given greater emotional nuance to her character.

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