UPDATE: The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed with their sources that Charlie Cox has landed the lead role in Marvel Studios' upcoming Daredevil series for Netflix.
The original report in its entirety is below
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had some insectile problems with their upcoming Ant-Man feature, and the comic giant’s TV world has also seen some shake-ups. But Netflix’s upcoming Daredevil series could possibly have turned a blind eye to all the hubbub and picked up a talented young actor to don the iconic red cowl. But then again, maybe that didn't happen.
According to the rumor professionals at Latino Review, sources are saying Boardwalk Empire star Charlie Cox “is looking like he’s going to be Marvel’s Daredevil.” This of course doesn’t mean that Marvel has actually hired him, or that Cox himself is even aware of this tidbit, but any kind of casting news for this highly anticipated series demands attention.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that we’ve gotten excited about a Daredevil announcement. Back in March, Dexter star Michael C. Hall was reportedly attached, but he soon came out and said he was never even contacted about it. Given how heavily Marvel already promotes their own projects, we take any outsider information with a handful of salt, but it’s an interesting thought experiment to think about what the British actor might do with the role.
We don’t really know much about Daredevil at this point, beyond the obvious facts that it will center on Hell’s Kitchen lawyer Matt Murdock, whose blindness is balanced by other superpowered senses that make him a total badass. It isn’t a big stretch for any particular actor to play Murdock, though Ben Affleck taught us that not everyone is perfect for the role.
And though Cox hasn’t had a huge career just yet, he’s done enough since Matthew Vaughn’s Stardust that we aren’t completely put out by this rumor. Beyond starring as Nucky’s bodyguard and driver Owen Slater on two seasons of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Cox starred as Ishmael in the miniseries Moby Dick and as Josemaría Escrivá in the biographical drama There be Dragons. His latest role is the titular character in Anthony Wilcox’s comedic drama Hello Carter, and he’ll soon be seen opposite Dominic Cooper in Gary Shore’s Dracula Untold.
Should this rumor be true, it’s the first move that new showrunner Steven DeKnight (Spartacus) has made since joining the series over the weekend. He replaced Cabin in the Woods director Drew Goddard, who went off to direct the Spidey-spinoff Sinister Six.
What say ye, Daredevil fanatics? Do we hand Charlie Cox the baton or blind him with pepper spray?
SEE ALSO: Marvel Says Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ Is Planned As ‘One Large Movie’