The latest rumor about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a possible collision with Netflix. For weeks, fans have been abuzz about the possibility of Daredevil appearing in the third Spider-Man movie slated to premiere in theaters November 2021.
The rumor specifically involves actor Charlie Cox, who played the Marvel superhero for three seasons of the popular Marvel/Netflix series Daredevil, reprising his role for the big screen.
But just how much should fans believe the rumor? And where did it come from? Here's all we know about the "Daredevil in Spider-Man" rumor, and just how real it may be.
How it all started — The rumor originated, in part, when Clerks and Dogma director Kevin Smith talked about it in an episode of his popular podcast, Fat Man Beyond. On March 16, Smith revealed to co-host Marc Bernardin (Castle Rock and Critical Role writer) a rumor he heard about the 2021 Spider-Man film involving "a famous lawyer."
"Charlie Cox, they're bringing him in as Matt Murdock," Smith said to applause inside the Scum & Villainy Cantina in Los Angeles. Smith used Daredevil's real name of Matt Murdock, a defense attorney in Hell's Kitchen who moonlights as the masked vigilante, Daredevil. "That's been the rumor online and that's been the one they say Marvel's going, 'God damn, how did that get out?'"
Because of Smith's platform and prominence in geek culture circles, the rumor has been given significant weight. But Smith said in his podcast he found it "online," and since it spread it has been difficult to find Smith's original online source. (Thanks, Google SEO.)
Is it true? — For his part, Charlie Cox is either unaware of the rumors or is denying his involvement due to non-disclosure agreements. On April 30, Cox spoke to ComicBook.com to promote a Daredevil watch party for quarantine. The actor confirmed he was not involved in Spider-Man 3 (final title to be determined).
"I hadn't heard those rumors," Cox said, "but it's certainly not with my Daredevil. If that's true, it's not with me. It's with another actor."
Cox cited the realities of professional acting, where schedules never line up as perfectly as fans would like.
"I think you'll definitely see Daredevil again," he said. "I just think the best bet for them, in the unlikely nature of being able to get all of us together again, it should be a whole new team, and, you know, start again."
He added, "But when you make a television show, it's so complicated, and people's schedules are so difficult, and contracts are so difficult ... So that's why when, as an actor, when you sign onto a TV show, you sign six years of your life away. Because, if you don't do that, it becomes too complicated to try and get all these moving pieces."
The Inverse Analysis — There is no denying fans would love to see universes collide and witness a character from the Marvel/Netflix franchise enter the theatrical Marvel Cinematic Universe. Especially since it did not happen in the momentous final battle of Avengers: Endgame, where the entire Marvel Universe gathered to fight Thanos.
That the characters in question are Tom Holland's Spider-Man and Charlie Cox's Daredevil makes the rumor especially fun due to the frequent crossover history both characters share in the comics. And, right now, Spider-Man needs a good lawyer after his public unmasking by the Bugle in the credits scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home.
But until there is more to learn about Spider-Man 3 from official or credible sources, anything involving possible characters, villains, and storylines should be met with skepticism.
It's fun to speculate! But with the pandemic grounding Hollywood to a halt, it's unlikely there will be anything concrete until the world goes back to spinning. Or, in Spider-Man's case, swinging.
Spider-Man 3 (final title TBD) will be released in theaters on November 5, 2021.
