Warning: This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.
Summary
TheMarvel Cinematic UniversemovieDeadpool & Wolverinehas delivered another kick to Ben Affleck’s Daredevil. While for a time it was rumored that theJustice Leaguestar would cameo in Shawn Levy’s MCU film, the movie’s release confirmed this was not the case. Theending ofDeadpool & Wolverinesaw the titular two heroes return to Earth-10005, having left a trail of violence and death behind them. While there were manyDeadpooleaster eggs and referencesin the movie, perhaps one of the most significant in it explained why Affleck’s Daredevil was absent from the film.
Ben Affleck was the second actor to play The Man Without Fear, following Rex Smith inThe Trial of the Incredible Hulk. While the billy-club baton has since been passed to Charlie Cox inthe MCU timeline, it is notable that Affleck didn’t receive many of the opportunities he arguably deserved when it came to his time as Matt Murdock.Deadpool & Wolverinewas in a prime place to potentially allow for Affleck to return to the role and provide some catharsis for this iteration of the character - however, the way the character’s story was addressed prevented this from being possible.
Every Cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine Explained
Deadpool & Wolverine is packed to the brim with cameos from across the entire run of Marvel films, combining the numerous timelines together.
Ben Affleck’s Daredevil Is Confirmed To Have Died In Deadpool & Wolverine
Several Marvel Characters Including Punisher And Magneto Are Confirmed To Be Dead
Inside the Void, Deadpool and Wolverine are told that Daredevil is among the heroes who have died there. Going to face Cassandra Nova, Logan and Wade align with Elektra, Blade, and Gambit. These three heroes of the past have been stuck in the Void for some time, and during a conversation about their history, it is revealed that their party used to be bigger.In fighting against this threat, they detail how they have lost Quicksilver, Punisher, Magneto, and Daredevil.
Based on the context, the Daredevil in discussion is clearly the one who is linked to Jennifer Garner’s Elektra. The two heroes shared a romance in the 2003 film, where Elektra was killed and then brought back to life in a closing tease.This simple, throwaway line is about all of the detail that is given about the loss of the hero, which is disappointing. Since acameo for Ben Affleck inDeadpool & Wolverinewas rumored, this being the only mention of the character’s fate feels all the more unfortunate.
Deadpool & Wolverine Short-Listed 70 Marvel Cameos Including Ben Affleck’s Daredevil
Director Shawn Levy opens up about the list of Marvel cameos they were looking at for Deadpool & Wolverine, including Ben Affleck’s Daredevil.
Affleck’s Potential Last Daredevil Moment Is A Joke About His Real-Life Divorce
Ben Affleck And Jennifer Garner Met On The Set Of Daredevil
Ben Affleck has had a life in the tabloids ever since he rose to prominence inGood Will Hunting. The actor dated multiple co-stars, and many of these relationships were very high profile.One of the most notable of Affleck’s relationships was with Jennifer Garner, who played Elektra in theDaredevilfilm.The two met during the filming ofDaredeviland pursued a romance shortly after. They had children and were together for many years before ultimately splitting up in 2015 and divorcing in 2018.
While it does not appear that there is bad blood about this divorce in real life, the film’s Daredevil reference appears to make a joke regarding the topic at Affleck’s expense. Upon learning Daredevil is dead, Deadpool offers Elektra his condolences, who seems nonplussed, shrugging and stating it’s fine. This apathy seems to be a joke about the character’s actors getting divorced, which while in line withDeadpool’s general comedic stylings, does make Daredevil’s absence seem even more notable.
Jennifer Garner’s Elektra Training Video Makes Me Appreciate Her Deadpool & Wolverine Cameo Even More
Jennifer Garner has shared her impressive training regime to play Elektra in Deadpool & Wolverine and it makes her reprisal even more impressive.
Ben Affleck’s Daredevil Is One Of The Most Unlucky Heroes In On-Screen History
The Actor’s Superhero Films Have Been Less Well Received Than Affleck’s Performances Deserve
When Mark Steven Johnson’sDaredevilwas released in 2003, it was not an enormous success.The film ultimately was profitable, grossing $179.1 million against a $78 million budget, but critical and audience reception was quite mixed.Daredevilhas many strengths, including a great cast that featured Colin Farrell, Jon Favreau, and the late Michael Clarke Duncan alongside the two leads, but ultimately went through several development changes - including switching from an R-rating to a PG-13 rating - that led to a mixed bag of a film.
Ben Affleck has spoken about not having a good time makingDaredevil- outright stating in a 2007 interview withEntertainment Weeklythat “Daredevil didn’t work at all”.After this release,Jennifer Garner’s Elektra got her own moviein 2005. The film was a critical and commercial flop and seemed set to feature a cameo by Affleck as Daredevil due to their obvious ties. Unfortunately, due to reported concerns about relationship drama between the stars, Affleck was cut from the story, and the movie then fared poorly enough to crush any hopes for aDaredevilsequel.
Casting Ben Affleck In The MCU - 10 Perfect Marvel Characters For The Former Batman
Ben Affleck played Daredevil before he became DC’s Batman, and with the actor now rumored for an MCU role, there are a few perfect characters for him.
At this point, it seems unlikely that Ben Affleck will return to superhero films. Following the release ofDeadpool & Wolverine,his Daredevil iteration is clearly dead. With a new DCU launching, it seems the actor will not play Batman again. While Affleck is an outstanding performer, he seems to be focused now on making films he is more directly in control of, such asAir. TheDeadpool & Wolverineending may not give the actor the closure that he deserves, but it seems to be the best that he will be able to get at this time.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Cast
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.
