Daredevil: Born Again Showrunner Explains Why The Defenders Didn’t Factor Into The Season 1 Finale, And It Makes A Lot Of Sense

Warning: SPOILERS for the Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 finale are ahead!

In 2017, after Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist had all been released on Netflix, the title heroes banded together for The Defenders miniseries. With the exception of Luke and Danny Rand teaming up again in a Luke Cage Season 2 episode, this was the only time we saw these characters together, but could the day come that we see them reunited? It certainly seemed like that was being set up as the Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 finale was ending earlier this week on the 2025 TV schedule, but showrunner Dario Scardapane provided an understandable explanation for why the Defenders didn’t factor into the story.

In the final minutes of “Straight to Hell,” as Mayor Wilson Fisk was giving a televised speech declaring martial law in New York City and vigilantism being outlawed, Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock, while suited up as Marvel’s Man Without Fear, was seen at Josie’s Bar with Karen Page, Cherry, Detective Angie Kim and other non-corrupt police officers. They’re the first of the resistance that will rise up to save the Big Apple, but can we count on the Defenders also being part of this movement? Here’s what Scardapane told EW when asked if these are characters in his head as he’s working on Born Again Season 2:

Without giving too much away…when you’re working in what I would call the Hell’s Kitchen corner of the MCU, those iconic characters are always in your mind. The thing is that — and this is kind of hard, I’m trying to thread a needle here — you want to bring in people and relationships and past figures in Matt’s life because they help the story, particularly in terms of a story where Fisk has taken over the city. And there is a resistance and a rebellion, so to speak, rising. So there’s going to be people, vigilantes, superheroes that are involved in that. There has to be because this is happening to their city. That said, you also want to create a completely organic story for that. So who comes in and why has to be beyond anything earned.

His rationale here makes sense. Since this is Daredevil: Born Again we’re talking about, it was important for Dario Scardapane to show off characters who were involved in this story that will be Matt’s allies in the coming battle. After all, not everyone who’s watching Born Again watched the original Daredevil series, and even the people who watched that show didn’t necessarily tune into The Defenders. Including Jon Bernthal’s Punisher was one thing, but if too many superheroes had been crammed at the end of “Straight to Hell,” that probably would have been too much.

That being said, that doesn’t necessarily mean we couldn’t see some, if not all of the Defenders paper in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 or even beyond if the show continues running. At the very least, these superheroes are on Dario Scardapane and his team’s minds, and maybe there’s already something being cooked up if I’m reading closely into the below comment:

So the easiest answer to your question is, yes, those characters that you just listed off are absolutely in my head and everybody’s head as we’re working. How that manifests itself is both really tricky writing-wise and a pretty closely guarded secret at this point. So I’m being intentionally cagey, but I’m also saying, ‘Hell yeah!’ in terms of it’s something we’re thinking about.

Last month, Krysten Ritter reaffirmed her desire to return as Jessica Jones, Mike Colter expressed interest last December in reprising Luke Cage if there was some “social commentary” in the story, and back in 2022, Finn Jones said he wanted another shot at playing Iron Fist. I feel like if there was absolutely no chance of the Defenders appearing in Daredevil: Born Again, Dario Scardapane would have come right out and said this. On the other hand, maybe he’s been instructed by Marvel Studios to stay mum so that he doesn’t tip off fans about what is or is not in store for Born Again Season 2.

Whatever the case, count on CinemaBlend to let you know if the Defenders will return to the MCU, whether it’s in Daredevil: Born Again or some other project. Right now, Born Again Season 2 is tentatively set on the upcoming Marvel TV shows slate for a March 2026 premiere.

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