Was Netflix trying to sink Daredevil? Former showrunner Steven DeKnight speaks out on the restrictions that were placed on the beloved series.
It’s no exaggeration to say Netflix’s Daredevil run will go down in superhero media history. Much like how Smallville defined superheroes for network television, the Man Without Fear showed everyone the heights that a superhero series can reach in the modern age of streaming. And while the show has been revived, that initial three season run remains something truly special.
However, could it have been even greater? Steven DeKnight, who served as the showrunner for season 1 of Daredevil, recently sat down with The Direct to talk about his experience working on the Netflix series. During the chat, he revealed that budgetary restrictions kept him from doing some of the cooler ideas his team had.
“I loved the fact that [Daredevil] was being resurrected, and resurrected with a bigger budget than we had, that’s for damn sure, let me tell you.”
“I remember when Daredevil was in She-Hulk, and he was doing a lot of the acrobatics, and people were saying, ‘Well, what do you think about those acrobatics?’ And I told them on social media, ‘Hey, if I had the money, that’s exactly what he would have.’ We didn’t have the money to do that.”
However, it wasn’t just the budget that held Steven DeKnight back. The showrunner continued that Netflix wanted to keep the series below the “R” rating that he wanted. It’s actually the confidence that Marvel had to make Daredevil a mature property on their streaming service that impressed him the most.
“I wanted to be more R-rated. They were able to go there, whereas I had the PG-16 handcuffs on, where I could only go so far. And as you can see from [Spartacus: House of Ashur], I like to go pretty far. So, I really appreciated that Marvel and Disney+ was willing to go there. That honestly surprised me and delighted me.”
Of course, many would argue that it’s the restrictions around a series that make it truly great. Given Daredevil came out at the peak of the “edgy superhero reboot” craze, it’s possible that leaning into the hard R rating could have made it less than what it ultimately became. Though one thing is for certain: people certainly aren’t bemoaning the violence now.
Daredevil: Born Again is now streaming on Disney Plus, with season 2 set to release in March 2026. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
