'Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2: Matthew Lillard's character revealed after months of intrigue
In what comes as a major update, Matthew Lillard's 'Daredevil: Born Again' season 2 character has been officially confirmed. Marvel TV producer Brad Winderbaum revealed the name of the character and some insight into what could be expected out of Lillard in the upcoming season. Known as Mr. Charles, the antagonist has a connection to Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. The latest comes after Lillard's character details were kept under wraps.
According to Entertainment Weekly, "The story is about power. When Wilson Fisk takes over New York, not just as a mayor but as a king in a way, it puts him in a new class of power players on the international stage," Winderbaum said. "Matthew Lillard's character represents that. But he's as influential, in many ways, as Fisk is. That power negotiation at a very high level of politics and international diplomacy is also fun to watch. [Fisk] is dealing with Mr. Charles up here and Daredevil [Charlie Cox] down here for different reasons. So he's getting squeezed a little bit."
The first season ended with Fisk establishing his stronghold over the city of New York after he was elected as mayor. In response, Matthew Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) is now uniting with allies and assembling his own forces to take the city back from Fisk.
The logline for season 1 read, "In Marvel Television’s 'Daredevil: Born Again', Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), a blind lawyer with heightened abilities, is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course."
Even though the events of the new season are expected to take place in New York, Winderbaum's comment on "international stage" suggests new locations and faces from across the globe. It's safe to speculate that Mr. Charles will likely be one of these characters. That he is already labeled as an antagonist also sees him side with Fisk, but there is also the possibility of him switching sides and joining hands with Murdock instead.
With the series already confirmed and renewed for Season 3, speculations remain whether Mr. Charles' role will spill over to the next installment. There have already been bold theories on a cameo or potential references in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the same interview, Winderbaum also hinted at a potential connection between 'Daredevil: Born Again season 2' and 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'. Only time will tell if Lillard's character will indeed appear in future Marvel projects.
All nine episodes of 'Daredevil: Born Again' are streaming on Disney+.