Last year 20th Century Fox faced a race against the clock to get its planned Daredevil reboot into production; originally developed by David Slade (30 Days of Night, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), the project first hit the rocks when Slade opted to depart in favour of directing the pilot episode for NBC’s Hannibal, and despite a valiant last minute effort from Joe Carnahan (The A-Team, The Grey), time ultimately ran out for the studio, with the rights subsequently reverting back to Marvel. We’ve already had an indication of Carnahan’s vision for Daredevil thanks to a sizzle reel the director posted after the collapse of the project, and now David Slade has taken a moment to discuss what he had in store for the failed reboot.
“[I saw it as] really complex and exciting,” Slade told Film School Rejects. “It was complicated [Laughs], and in the most unimaginable Fox way possible. I was really, really excited about it . . . It’s funny, I remember Joe Carnahan went after it hard when the rights were about to go. He cut together that thing that was great and exciting, but it was kind of sad, in a way, because everything in that trailer we had attempted to do [Laughs]. Every single thing… It’s in the 70s, Kingpin is going through New York dealing with the Irish mafia, and there’s Daredevil in the yellow suit. It was all there! You know, it’s a big studio film and it’s tougher…there are certain people who are really good at that, and I hope to be really good at that. I will continue to try my best.”
Of course, with the character now in the hands of Marvel Studios, it’s unlikely we’ll ever get to see any 70s-set vigilantism from the Man Without Fear, but with Daredevil being one of Marvel’s most recognisable superheroes, it’s a certainty we’ll be seeing Matt Murdock back on the big screen at some point in the near future. Phase Three, anyone?
Originally published April 9, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
