Daredevil: Born Againis the latest mature-ratedMCUproduction, but it was the first to break Kevin Feige’s “No cocaine” rule established inDeadpool & Wolverine, and I think I’ve worked out why. Three episodes intothe acclaimed MCU show,Daredevil: Born Againhasn’t wasted its TV-MA rating, pulling no punches with visceral fight sequences that rival even those of its predecessor. It additionally explores some fairly mature themes that would feel particularly out of place ina typical PG-13 MCU production.
These mature themes eludedDeadpool & Wolverine, partly thanks to the fact that it was more concerned with keeping the tone relatively lighthearted. Nevertheless, whileDaredevil: Born Againbeing bereft of irreverence might open up a few darker themes for the show to explore, I find it hard to believe that casual drug use is officially consigned to more grounded depictions, particularly asDeadpool’s previous outingsunder Fox were rife with it. Thankfully, following comments made byDeadpool & Wolverinedirector Shawn Levy, I think I know why drugs were off-limits for one and not the other.
Kevin Feige’s “No Cocaine” Rule For Deadpool & Wolverine Explained
Wade Wilson Reveals That Kevin Feige Banne Cocaine Use In Deadpool & Wolverine
When it was announced thatDeadpool would be joining the MCU, concerns arose around how Disney would approach the no-hold-barred R-rating in which he typically thrives. Thankfully, it was swiftly confirmed that Deadpool would be allowed to engage in his typical shenanigans with little to no limitations. When the firstDeadpool & Wolverinetrailer was released, however, Deadpool revealed in a classic fourth-wall-breaking joke thatKevin Feige himself had ruled against depicting cocaine use.
12 Funniest Moments In Deadpool & Wolverine That Had Us Cry-Laughing
Deadpool & Wolverine has quickly become one of the MCU’s most popular projects ever, and this is due in part to Deadpool’s incredible sense of humor.
The veracity of Deadpool’s statement was unclear at the time. It was the perfect jab at Disney’s more straitlaced sensibilities, after all, and could have existed even if Feige had stipulated no such thing. However, in an interview with theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast (viaYouTube) just a week afterDeadpool & Wolverinewas released,director Shawn Levy confirmed that not only was this true, but it became one of the first jokes written into the movie. His full quote can be seen at the very beginning of the interview below:
“Kevin was like, ‘Look, we want a fully ‘Deadpool’ Deadpool movie. The only thing maybe is, maybe we don’t do all the drug use, the cocaine use with Al and Wade. And we were like ‘Yes sir, yep, copy that,’ and we went home and literally wrote the joke about Feige requesting no cocaine, and it became one of the first jokes that we wrote.”
It was a stroke of genius that I’m glad was approved, with Feige evidently greenlighting the mention of cocaine even if its usage was off-limits. Ultimately,Deadpool & Wolverinemade the best out of the situation, andit’s hard to argue that Deadpool actually using cocaine would have been a superior moment to his candid interaction with Al. It’s somewhat confusing, however, to see that the “No cocaine” rule was only just broken inDaredevil: Born Again.
Daredevil: Born Again Episode 3 Broke Feige’s “No Cocaine” Rule
Cherry Gives A Bag Of Cocaine To Star Witness Nicky Torres
Daredevil: Born Againepisode 3centered on Hector Ayala’s trial after being wrongfully charged with killing a police officer. Initially, the only route that Matt Murdock saw towards victory was bringing a key witness to the stand: Nicky Torres. Torres' testimony would have nullified the falsehoods put forward by corrupt cop Officer Powell, helping to verify Ayala’s account that he intervened in Torres' beatdown.The challenge (before Torres was intimidated into lying anyway) was to get Torres to the courtroom in one piecebefore the corrupt cohort of cops could get to him first.
Matt Murdock was forced to reveal that Ayala was White Tiger to help win the trial after Torres failed to testify.
This meant stashing Torres away in a safe-house, where the drug-addicted police informant had to be kept compos mentis through the rationed supply of cocaine.There is a brazen hand-off of the drug(though it is admittedly used off-screen) as Murdock’s personal investigator, Cherry, hands a small bag of white powder to Torres. It certainly isn’t out of place in this particular context, and helped to establish Torres as a somewhat unreliable witness ahead of his testimony, but it caused me to wonder why Feige sanctioned the depiction of cocaine inDaredevil: Born Againjust months afterDeadpool & Wolverine.
Why Daredevil: Born Again Could Use Cocaine When Deadpool & Wolverine Couldn’t
Deadpool Is Now A Bona Fide MCU Hero
Put simply: Nicky Torres isn’t Deadpool. Deadpool is a huge addition to the MCU’s roster of superheroes, while Nicky Torres is a minor character - and a particularly unsavory one at that. As much as Deadpool is touted as an “anti-hero,” the truth is less nuanced, especially in the context of the MCU. He’s one of Marvel Studios' new flagship protagonists, andhaving any of its most beloved roster of superheroes use drugs on the silver screen does not strike the right tone, no matter how it’s spun.
Deadpool is now a part of a much larger universe.
Deadpool is now a part of a much larger universe. His general exclusion fromthe core X-Men franchisemay have afforded him more reckless freedom, butit would be harder to reconcile his appearance in a movie likeAvengers: Secret Warsfighting alongside the noble Avengers when, just one big-screen appearance prior, he was using hard drugs. In contrast, Nicky Torres' use of cocaine was not only additionally useful to establish his debauchery, but it is unlikely he’ll have a larger part to play in the MCU beyondDaredevil: Born Again.
Daredevil: Born Again
Cast
Daredevil: Born Again follows blind lawyer Matt Murdock, who uses his heightened abilities to pursue justice in New York. As he manages a bustling law firm, former mob boss Wilson Fisk navigates political ambitions, leading both men toward a confrontation as their pasts resurface.
Deadpool & Wolverine
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
er role to play in or afterDaredevil: Born Again.
