Dream Casting the Daredevil Reboot
written by Justin Prince (@prince_justin)
With the film rights to the hero of Hell's Kitchen reverting back to Marvel, talks of a reboot are already in place. If you remember the abortion that was 2003's Daredevil you (like many other a comic book fan) will be clamoring for this hero done right. Nothing has been set in stone yet but with this fan cast in mind, I wanted to look at four crucial members of the Daredevil world, and who I would like to see cast as them.
Matt Bomer as Daredevil/Matt Murdock
This strong jawed/good looking leading man can really pack the punch it would take to be Daredevil. On the television series Chuck, Bomer played Bryce Larkin, the secret agent who planted the intersect in series lead Chuck Bartowski (played by Zachary Levi). Not one to shy away from action sequences, Bomer possesses the physical prowess to perform as the super hero, a role that would undoubtably require some serious physical conditioning. As far as playing the charismatic blind lawyer Matt Murdock, I turn to Bomer's role as con man Neal Caffrey on White Collar . While a con man and a lawyer seem to be polar opposites of each other, they do share some striking similarities. Take real life con man Frank Abagnale Jr. (the inspiration for the Leonardo DiCaprio film Catch Me If You Can ) for instance, he stated in an interview that the easiest profession to fake was being a lawyer, it essential required the same research and persuasion skills it would take to be a con man. So in a sense! Neal Caffrey + Bryce Larkin = Matt Murdock. A strong fit for the role.
Olga Kurylenko as Elektra Natchios
This choice leaned heavily on her looks. Olga Kurylenko is consistently stunning, from her roles in Skyfall and Oblivion this beautiful actress has solidified herself as a strong leading lady. But can she be more than just a pretty face? As a Bolivian Secret Service Agent in Skyfall it's clear to see that she doesn't shy away from action roles, her turn as astronaut Julia Rusakova in Oblivion shows that she's used to the Summer Blockbuster formula of most superhero flicks. Even her lesser known roles in movies like Hitman and Max Payne (both movies painfully hard to watch) were made that much better by this beauty gracing the cast. She'd make a wonderful Elektra, I mean just look at her! Absolutely stunning as much as being absolutely deadly.
Jason O'Mara as Bullseye
Hopefully this guy can catch a break! Terra Nova wasn't the best show to hit television in recent years (FOX cancelled it), but O'Mara was pretty damn good on it. While the Resident Evil film franchise has been mediocre at best (and downright unwatchable at worst... like Resident Evil: Retribution ) O'Mara was impressive as the series villain Albert Wesker in Resident Evil: Extinction. Personally for me, Extinction was the last RE film I can honestly say I enjoyed, sure I had to turn off my brain to really enjoy it, but it was still fun. Albert Wesker was recast in subsequent sequels, but I always liked O'Mara's take on the character. O'Mara could really thrive as the villainous psychopath Bullseye, whether they go "costumed criminal" route or take some cues from Colin Farrell's turn (just lose the goatee) O'Mara would be an impressive addition to the cast. The physicality of the role would definitely be something he can tackle successfully.
Ray Winstone as Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk
When I think of the Kingpin of Crime, I usually imagine this big hulking Juggernaut of a man in a white suit. While Michael Clarke Duncan played the role admirably, he still made the character some more like a thug and less like the criminal genius that Kingpin was. One of the main aspects of the character is that regardless of his size and his seemingly sedentary lifestyle of decadence, Kingpin can seriously kick your ass if you underestimate him. Enter Ray Winstone, he's got the look of a mobster with the build of a rugby player. The guy just looks like he could kick some serious tail. He'd have to bulk up and maybe put on a few more pounds to fill out the role (of course the Mr. Clean head is a must) but Winstone has the acting chops and sheer physical prowess to portray the Kingpin of New York. I can already see it now.
This could be done right, even if none of my choices get the roles, Marvel could work some magic with a Daredevil reboot. The only thing I worry about is that with Disney involved, it's almost a guarantee that a darker story is out of the picture. Daredevil isn't the boyscout Cap is or the justice conscious hero that Spidey is. Daredevil is a dark avenger, a vigilante who isn't afraid to send trash people to a deserving death. It could be done though, a lighter take on Daredevil while still maintaining his trademark tenacity. I just hope Marvel handles this character with the same care given to their Avengers squad.
