Every superhero has an archenemy. Batman has the Joker. Captain American has the Red Skull. Superman has Lex Luthor. When it comes to Daredevil, Matt Murdock’s longtime comicbook foe is the deadly Bullseye. Marvel fans should be giddy about Daredevil season 3 then, as the hit Netflix series will introduce the iconic baddie this year, played by Wilson Bethel. According to the man behind the Daredevil mask, Charlie Cox, the new season will serve as a bit of an origin story for Bullseye, who’s set to cause some havoc under the direction of Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, who’s also back to cause some trouble in Hell’s Kitchen. We caught up with Cox to chat about Daredevil season 3, his new nemesis and more.
Charlie Cox talks Daredevil season 3, Bullseye and the end of Iron Fist
Matt Murdock was on the verge of death after The Defenders. Where do we find him at the start of Daredevil season 3?
We kind of inherited where we were going to start off based on everything that happened in The Defenders. What Erik [Oleson], the new showrunner, decided to do was really embrace that and kind of go fully into the level of Matt’s brokenness. What we discover early on in season 3 is he’s obviously very physically broken because he had a building fall on him. What ends up being a little bit more interesting, I hope, is he’s kind of emotionally and spiritually broken in a way that we haven’t seen him before. What I mean by that he’s questioning who he is, what he is, what he’s capable of, the fundamental nature of himself.
The Kingpin is back to cause some trouble. How has his relationship with Murdock evolved?
What I was excited about this season, because in season 1, Fisk and Murdock kind of become aware of each other for the first time, the animosity had to build and reach a crescendo in season 1. What’s fun about season 3, the mention of their names now brings up a whole reservoir of hatred and anger and frustration. We get to start right up there at 10 and take it even further.
Daredevil eason 3 also introduces a new villain, the iconic Bullseye, who gets into a pretty epic fight scene with Murdock later in the season. How would you describe his introduction to the series and what trouble he has in store for Daredevil?
This is kind of a Bullseye origin story. It’s up for grabs when he becomes Bullseye, in the same way season 1 was a Daredevil origin story and you could kind of decide when he deserved to earn that title… In terms of their relationship, initially at least, Bullseye – or this Agent Poindexter as he’s known – is really just a weapon of Fisk’s. He’s a tool that Fisk uses to his advantage and is a barrier Daredevil has to go through to get to Fisk. What, of course, is going to become apparent towards the end of the season is that he is of himself a worthy adversary and someone who’s going to require a personal level of detail in order to overcome. We get to see the beginning of that iconic relationship develop.
It was recently announced that Iron Fist won’t return to Netflix for a season 3. What are your thoughts on that news and do you hope to team up again with Finn Jones at some point down the road?
I’m deeply saddened and I spoke to Finn about it. I don’t really know what to say other than I’m just sad for the fans and I’m sad for Finn. I know the first season was given a pretty hard time. My understanding is that season 2 was much higher regarded. I felt like they would go to do a season 3. Obviously I don’t know what the conversations are behind the scenes about all that stuff. I’m gutted for those guys about it. I also read somewhere that it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the journey for that character and for Finn and all that kind of stuff. The show could end up elsewhere, there could be team-ups elsewhere and all that stuff. I wouldn’t know anything about that, but I hope that’s the case.
Since it’s Halloween season and you plan the “Man Without Fear,” what’s your biggest fear or phobia?
My biggest fear, god I don’t know man. What would be my biggest fear? I’m totally stumped by that. I don’t really have any obvious ones. I don’t love spiders and s—t, but I don’t think I’m afraid of them in the same way, you know what I mean? But I wouldn’t want to have a big spider on me or something.
Daredevil season 3 is now on Netflix.
