Warning: This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again.
Marvel Studios can solve one of its biggestMCUcriticisms by including Matt Murdock’s Daredevil in the upcomingThunderboltsmovie. Scheduled to be released on May 2,Thunderboltswill be the next installment in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga followingDaredevil: Born Againon Disney+, though neither are really expected to explore the concept of the multiverse. Instead, bothBorn AgainandJake Schreier’s upcomingThunderbolts*movieappear to be handling more grounded and gritty, New York-based stories, and this connection could bring them closer than anyone first expected.
Thunderboltsalready has an impressive cast, comprising mainly returning antiheroes and reformed villains from the MCU’s history. This includes Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen and Olga Kurylenko, while Lewis Pullman’s Sentry may also join them.Given the New York setting of the upcoming Phase 5 movie, however,Thunderboltscould include some much-anticipated MCU cameos, and one of these provides the perfect excuse for Marvel Studios to continueDaredevil: Born Again’srecent street-level storyline.
The MCU’s Interconnected Nature Has Been Less Of A Focus In Recent Years
Marvel Studios' Recent Projects Have Been Criticized For Not Connecting Enough
Marvel Studios set itself apart throughout the Infinity Saga by developing a level of connectivity in its shared universe of the MCU that meant almost every installment had some sort of impact on the next. This was changed with the start of the Multiverse Saga, asMarvel branched out into creating its own MCU-set TV shows for Disney+, and introduced a slew of new characters that have very little to do with each other. This has been a point of contention for many who miss theinterconnectivity of the MCU, and it seems even logical crossover opportunities have been missed.
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Projects such asSecret InvasionandThe Marvels,Secret InvasionandCaptain America: Brave New World, andEternalsand practically every other project, to name a few, could have been connected far better.Marvel Studios missed some of its best chances to explore the same kind of interconnectivity that made the Infinity Saga so popular. Instead, the Multiverse Saga has become the most divisive chapter of the MCU yet, but Marvel can finally start to solve these problems and quell any concerns, andThunderbolts*would be a fantastic place to start.
The Number Of MCU Heroes In New York Gives The Franchise A Welcome Opportunity For More Connected Hero Stories
New York’s Superheroes & Vigilantes Could Soon Converge
Just like in the pages of Marvel Comics,New York City is a hub of superhero activity in the MCU, with many of Marvel Studios' heroes either coming from or relocating to New York. This has become even more prevalent throughout the Multiverse Saga, which creates the perfect opportunity for more characters to come together and for Marvel to establish a stronger sense of interconnectivity, which many have been calling for. The upcomingThunderbolts*movie would be the perfect place for this to happen, as the titular team will be fighting a powerful villain to protect New York.
The Thunderbolts will be coming together to battle Lewis Pullman’s Sentry, or rather his villainous alter ego, inThunderbolts*, as the Void will threaten to spread his darkness across New York and the world.
Some of the most powerful heroes in the MCU currently reside in New York, which should create the chance for Marvel Studios to converge their stories. While Doctor Strange might be off-world right now, Peter Parker’s story will continue as a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in 2026’sSpider-Man: Brand New Day, whileDaredevil: Born Againhas developed the stories of Daredevil, the Punisher, the White Tiger and more. Ms. Marvel, Kate Bishop and several members ofMarvel Studios' upcoming Young Avengers teamare also connected to New York City, which could be very exciting for the MCU.
Thunderbolts*‘storyline will be set almost entirely in New York City, with the former Avengers Tower being transformed into the Watchtower by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, perhaps as a base of operations for the Sentry.Robert Reynolds seems to be Valentina’s own manufactured hero, developed to replace the Avengers, but his going rogue will constitute the formation of the Thunderbolts team. We think it would be fantastic, and necessary, to see other New York-based heroes appear inThunderbolts*, and Charlie Cox’s Daredevil is a brilliant candidate.
Daredevil Would Be A Great Addition To Thunderbolts*’ Cast
Image via Disney+
Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock became a fan-favorite live-action hero throughoutMarvel Television’s original Defenders Saga, that released on Netflix between 2015 and 2019 and included three seasons ofDaredevil.Cox reprised the role in 2021’sSpider-Man: No Way Home, and made a series of brilliant and praised cameo appearances before embarking on a new solo adventure inDaredevil: Born Again. After a year of retirement, Matt Murdock has suited up as Daredevil again, setting him up for future appearances alongside other MCU heroes.
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This could very easily include the Thunderbolts team, especially afterDaredevil: Born Again’sstory has seen the streets of New York City become darker and tougher under the command ofVincent D’Onofrio’s Mayor Wilson Fisk. With the Anti-Vigilante Task Force in full swing,it would make a lot of sense forBorn Again’sstory to roll over intoThunderbolts*, and it would actually be a huge mistake for Marvel Studios to ignore these connections. This makes us think that Charlie Cox could quickly return to the MCU afterBorn Againin May 2025’sThunderbolts*.
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With Daredevil: Born Again’s release, Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock adds another MCU role to the movies and TV shows under his belt, with more to come.
Marvel Studios has leaned more into Matt Murdock’s superhuman abilities inDaredevil: Born Again, more than the originalDaredevilseries, which makes us think he would fit in perfectly among the super-soldiers and superpoweredmembers of the Thunderbolts team. He also seems to have become a far more brutal vigilante, and this is only set to increase as Kingpin will soon be increasing his power and influence over New York.Not only will the Sentry’s attack on New York impact Daredevil, but Kingpin’s reign will impact the MCU’s newest team, so both would benefit from Matt Murdock appearing inThunderbolts*.
