Andor is set to go down in history as the greatest Star Wars story ever. This complex, politically charged, and character-driven thriller blasts past the prequel and sequel trilogies, leaves every other Disney Plus Star Wars show in the dust, and, in many ways, is even superior to George Lucas’ iconic original trilogy.

With the final episodes landing yesterday, praise is at fever pitch on social media, with many demanding that Lucasfilm hand showrunner Tony Gilroy the keys to the kingdom and let him chart the franchise’s future:

This is how Star Wars should be. Tony Gilroy truly understands that. Give this man more future Star Wars projects and return the franchise to be true Star Wars. #Andor #AndorS2 #AndorSeason2 pic.twitter.com/6MBlQZiHyW

— CΛMSPIRΞ ♪ (@CamsTranceVibes) April 24, 2025

Unfortunately for all of us, Gilroy has indicated that his time in a galaxy far, far away is over. Speaking to Collider in Mar. 2025, he was asked if he would be back for more and said:

“It’s not really part of my plan. I’ve been peripherally involved for 10 years and intensely involved for six years, so that’s a pretty big chunk of my life. There are other things to do.”

But Disney and Lucasfilm would be fools to let him walk away now and we expect executives will do their best to tempt him back for more. And there’s one project he’d be ideal for that no other person should be trusted with.

A New New Hope?

This will be blasphemy to many, but with A New Hope approaching its 50th anniversary in 2027, it may finally be time for a remake. After all, while George Lucas’ 1977 original will always be a cinematic classic, it’s looking increasingly creaky to younger viewers, so a fresh perspective and retelling of this incredible story would be an ideal way to reinvigorate the franchise.

There are only a handful of people who could pull off this feat, but after Andor, Gilroy has to be top of the pile. After all, Andor ends right as 2016’s Rogue One begins, which itself leads directly into the opening minutes of A New Hope. Gilroy being given the reins would let him effectively continue his story, folding the winning Andor formula into one continuous and truly epic saga.

Some of the surviving Andor characters could go on to play new roles in this reworked original trilogy, cementing the links between them. And, as a bonus, this would also clear the decks of the increasingly tangled and crowded Star Wars canon. From Disney’s point of view, a remake of A New Hope would be a guaranteed box office smash, fit in perfectly with their current strategy of remaking their classic animated movies in live action, and lay obvious groundwork for future remakes of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

This “new” original trilogy then leaves acres of fertile storytelling ground beyond it that could be occupied by an entirely original sequel trilogy that’s actually planned out in advance and doesn’t end on a massive anticlimax.

Any announcement along these lines would be met by an aggressive backlash by fans understandably attached to Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and the rest, but what better way to honor Star Wars than to give us an entirely original take on Luke Skywalker’s adventures that tesselates perfectly with the storylines and themes we just saw in Andor?

Another Predator movie is finally on the way and the trailer has dropped a few hints that suggest we could be seeing some crossover with the Alien franchise once again.

Predator: Badlands is set to take the series in an entirely new direction. It will be the seventh movie in the main franchise (a sixth, animated movie is set to release later this year) although it’s the ninth if you count the two Alien vs Predator movies.

And perhaps we should be counting the AVP films considering this latest entry in the Predator series could potentially be making those two movies canon.

Is Predator: Badlands a secret Alien sequel?

Fans have noticed a few details in the new trailer which dropped yesterday afternoon. The main talking point was the sneaky references to the Weyland-Yutani corporation. The dystopian corporation is the main antagonist of the Alien series, I mean, I guess the Xenomorph is technically the main antagonist, but come on, we all know these guys are the real baddies.

Anyways, the Weyland-Yutani logo was spotted a couple of times throughout the trailer. The “W” symbol can be seen on the shoulder of Elle Fanning’s character as well as in her eyes at one point. This indicates that she may be an android, something which has been a staple of the Alien series since the very first movie. The “W” in the eyes was also seen in Andy the android from Alien: Romulus.

This indicates a clear connection between the two franchises. If the Weyland-Yutani corporation now exists within the Predator universe then it follows that the Xenomorph also likely exists too.

Of course, we’ve seen these two titans clash on the big screen before. Alien vs Predator and its sequel weren’t exactly popular with critics or audiences but there’s sort of a cult following for those films. The concept has a lot of potential and now that Disney own the rights to both franchises it’s definitely possible the company would try and revive AVP.

What will Predator: Badlands be about?

Aside from Fanning’s Weyland android character there isn’t a whole lot to go off when it comes to the film’s relation to Alien. We know the film will focus on a young predator who was cast out of his clan. In a surprise twist it turns out the predator will be the protagonist this time and will team up with Fanning’s character.

It’s unclear how this Alien/Predator connection will work in the greater lore of both IPs. While the original AVP films did give viewers some in depth backstory on the origin of the xenomorph, subsequent Alien films have completely re-written it. Will this film work with the old AVP lore, or the lore from films like Prometheus and Alien: Covenant? Or perhaps it will give fans something entirely new and original. Who knows? Maybe it will be a musical.

The release of Disney’s live-action Snow White was surrounded by controversy involving its star, Rachel Zegler. Many rumors spread alleging Zegler was fired from the project, stirred up by her outspoken political views and a supposed feud with co-star Gal Gadot. It’s hard not to believe the rumors with all the backlash toward Zegler, but the truth is simpler than it seems.

Zegler’s public comments caught a lot of attention. She openly criticized the original 1937 animated Snow White, pointing out its outdated depiction of women and the “guy who literally stalks her,” as the prince chasing Snow White. She later reversed and reiterated her comments in interviews, as reported by the New York Post, but the damage was done by then.

I love older Disney movies, and my personal favorite film from the studio is Beauty and the Beast. However, it is hard to want to watch a remake knowing the lead bouthed the original, even after it gets backtracked in future interviews. Unfortunately, it seems that the controversies only got worse from there.

Has Rachel Zegler been fired from Disney?

Rachel Zegler has not been fired, but keep in mind that these rumors shouldn’t be taken seriously anyway. It is nearly impossible to fire Zegler because the movie is already out and paid for. Right now, the part of Zegler’s contract that needs to be fulfilled is press interviews and appearances. Unless Zegler starts bouthing the movie or saying something too outrageous, Disney only benefits from having her promote the movie — she’s already been paid to do so.

If Disney were to pull Zegler out, it would only confirm that the movie did not go Disney’s way, which would hurt it. Snow White is an important movie to the studio because it represents Walt’s first huge achievement, and Disney wouldn’t dare harm it purposefully. However, based on everything that’s happened, Zegler likely won’t be working with Disney again anytime soon.

Some people think Zegler has been fired because of the many controversies over what she’s said. She expressed her for Palestinian liberation on social media, which likely clashed with her co-star Gal Gadot’s stance as a strong er of Israel and a former member of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The significant difference in their political views reportedly created tension between the two actresses. There were reports of a difficult relationship, culminating in a reportedly awkward moment at the Academy Awards when they presented an award together but did not interact warmly. This rumored feud between Zegler and Gadot, reported by Style Caster, is thought to have negatively impacted the film’s marketing efforts.

Within Disney, there were concerns about Zegler’s outspoken behavior. Sources told Page Six that Disney executives reached out to Zegler and her management, asking her to tone down her public comments. “Disney’s lead actress is out of control. They don’t know what to do,” an insider told the outlet.

According to the source, “She’s an outspoken 20-something and Disney chiefs have called her directly and asked her to tone down her posts. They’ve called her management, but she won’t listen.” These requests reportedly did not work, leading Disney to minimize the film’s promotional efforts. The press tour and premiere were much smaller than expected, which further fueled speculation about a divide between Zegler and the studio.

While this could all be overlooked if Snow White did well, this isn’t the case. According to Forbes, Snow White has gotten around $43 million in the opening weekend at the box office. The weekend numbers tend to have a lot to do with how much money a movie makes, and Snow White needs to bring in 209 million to break even with production costs.

Unfortunately, it seems like the issues behind the scenes have affected the movie, and getting 44% on Rotten Tomatoes didn’t help either. Zegler hasn’t been fired, but it is doubtful if she will be rehired for any future movies under the studio.

Not content with making a barnstorming comeback as Frank Castle in Daredevil: Born Again, Jon Bernthal is pushing forward with a standalone Punisher special. This one-off is now greenlit and is imagined to be similar in style to Werewolf by Night.

As a measure of his commitment, Bernthal is both starring in the special and writing it. His interest in this project comes from his dissatisfaction with the scrapped initial version of Daredevil: Born Again, which he felt misrepresented Frank Castle. Word is that once Kevin Feige saw what’d been filmed – which apparently didn’t feature Daredevil in costume until episode 4 – he fired the directors and showrunners and threw the original pitch in the trash.

Bernthal explained to Entertainment Weekly that he was initially asked to be part of the first version but turned it down. He said. “Ultimately, I didn’t see it. I didn’t see the version of Frank, and what they wanted from Frank [didn’t] really make sense to me, and I thought would not appeal to the fans and wouldn’t be congruent. It was not something I was really interested in doing. So we had to walk away.”

Matt Murdock and Frank Castle back on my screen together I’ve missed this and The Punisher sm! They delivered another masterpiece of a scene together #DaredevilBornAgain pic.twitter.com/x6qV29kZ

— 𝙶𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎 DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN ERA// (@giselleb1234) March 19, 2025

After significant changes, including new lead writers and bringing in Dario Scardapane, who had worked on The Punisher, as showrunner, Marvel reached out to Bernthal again. This time, there was more collaboration, giving Bernthal a bigger say in how Frank Castle would be portrayed.

Bernthal said, “They really brought me into the conversation. We really got specific about where Frank is psychologically, where Frank’s at physically.” This partnership resulted in the Punisher’s brief appearance in episode four of Daredevil: Born Again.

Bernthal felt that this scene served as an initial test to see if Marvel was open to a darker, more complex version of Frank Castle, steering away from humor. The positive from that appearance helped get the green light for the Punisher special.

This will be a t effort between Bernthal and director Reinaldo Marcus Green, who has previously worked with Bernthal on King Richard and We Own This City. Bernthal has also enlisted Nick Koumalatsos, a Marine Raider who played a crucial role in his training for both The Punisher and Daredevil: Born Again, to be a consultant for the new special.

Before writing the script for the Punisher TV special, Bernthal presented a detailed outline. Marvel was involved in each step of the process, ensuring that the project aligned with their vision while letting Bernthal stay true to his interpretation of the character. The aim is to create a raw, complex, and unflinching depiction of Frank Castle that examines the cost of violence.

The original The Punisher series did a good job of going over Castle’s emotions and his mindset, but it seems like Disney is willing to give certain Marvel characters the space to go further into darker and more mature themes.

Daredevil: Born Again looks to be a jumping-off point for Castle to return to the MCU and leap into his own special. There’s still no word on whether that could lead a TV series, but if it’s a hit expect to see much more of Bernthal’s Frank Castle across the MCU.

Three episodes in and it looks like Daredevil: Born Again could finally be breaking a Marvel/Disney curse that could be at the very root of its recent woes.

We live in a very strange time in media when everything is political, yet nothing is. This is especially true for anything produced by massive global corporations like Disney. Any tiny little statement about virtually anything remotely topical could risk alienating viewers and, with budgets so bloated nothing is made for less than $100 million anymore, they can’t afford to lose a single pair of eyeballs staring at those screens or butt cheeks resting on those movie theater seats.

But studio heads fail to realize that a story with no bearings in substantial issues isn’t a story at all. Sure, you can opt for the more universal, abstract toolkit of love, family, and friendship, but even those bad boys are all about politics. You’ll always be saying something about gender relations if you so much as show a man and woman kissing on screen, and don’t even get me started on parents and children.

My point is that (good/engaging) storytelling, even if its sole purpose is entertainment, is inherently ideological; it will always be related to a system of ideas and ideals. Forcing a show or movie to be completely apolitical and sanitized will just make it bland or downright terrible. What’s more, Marvel, and by extension Disney, keeps making the mistake of realizing too late that a given story might offend a section of its audience. So, instead of making it as safe as possible from the beginning (which would be bad enough), it loves to splurge on reshoots and reedits. The results are patched-up, nonsensical productions whose box office and/or streaming failures somehow still surprise everyone. Well, not me.

Every time there is news of reshoots, I know I can safely throw any hope I had for a good, solid superhero adventure out the window, because nine times out of 10, it doesn’t really mean addition, but subtraction. Entire sequences wind up on the cutting room floor — not because they were badly made, but most likely because they offended someone in those test screening audiences. The reshoots serve one purpose only: making the omissions somehow make sense. But you can always tell.

Take 2021’s Falcon and The Winter Solider, for example: The potential for a great show is very obviously brewing under the surface, but the final product that reached television screens felt extremely off — like the storylines didn’t flow or were unnecessarily contrived (sometimes the viewer is just overly critical, yes, but most of the time, and especially with Marvel, the problem is in the material). Scripts aren’t necessarily awful, but they’re so overly edited that the plot is literally lost. We can only speculate about what was actually cut, but the leading theory with this show was that it was an entire plot relating to a lab-grown global virus ( what was in the air back then?).

Another example is Secret Invasion, created and initially filmed before Russia invaded Ukraine but extensively reshot and released afterward. It’s no coincidence Moscow features heavily at the start of the series and then is barely shown again — it’s also no coincidence that the progression of the storylines is jumbled trash. ing for reshoots, Disney spent $211.6 million on a show that became its lowest-rated and one of its least-watched.

Most recently, Captain America: Brave New World ed this exclusive flop club, undergoing costly reshoots and reedits reportedly forced by its villain’s proximity to Donald Trump. It was initially filmed before the president was re-elected. Now, it’s one of the MCU’s lowest rated and lowest grossing movies. Funny how that always checks out.

Thankfully, these recent failures seem to have acted as a wake-up call for Marvel because, if its first three episodes are any indication, Daredevil: Born Again might become the first significantly reshot, rewritten production to actually come out better on the other side (?). And the difference in outcome is down to one very substantial reason: The alterations have been in service of the storytelling and not the audience’s sensitivities.

In fact, in just three episodes, the show has stepped on more toes than the MCU’s latest handful of creations combined. For starters, they’re dedicating a major storyline to corrupt law enforcement by tackling the real-life misuse of The Punisher’s symbol by police officers looking to step out of their legal bounds. Secondly, the season officially adapts the Mayor Fisk storyline from comics, and thus inevitably dabbles in concepts of populism, election optics, and even the relationship between governmental power and legacy/traditional media. In one of its most interesting nods so far, Fisk takes a liking to the newly introduced character BB Urich, an online journalist, in favor of outlets like The Times — much like President Donald Trump has granted special privileges to influencers and podcasters who favor his politics in lieu of judicious reporters.

For reference and comparability’s sake, the season currently boasts a very healthy 86% critic score and 82% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and scored Disney Plus’ most viewed debut week this year, per Variety.

Sure, the show might still go extremely south — a lot can happen in six episodes — but much has also already happened to warrant praise and a mountaintop scream about the pair of family jewels Disney appears to have grown.

Superhero stories have never shied away from tackling real-world issues, but Daredevil: Born Again is taking things to another level. The series just confirmed that one of its biggest plotlines is a direct confrontation of law enforcement corruption. This is fueled by none other than the misuse of The Punisher’s iconic skull symbol.

Episode 3 of Born Again doesn’t just hint at the issue, it dives in headfirst. Granted, Matt Murdock wrestles with his legal career and his moral code. However, this time, he finds himself up against a faction of NYPD officers. Moreover, these officers have embraced The Punisher’s brand of vigilante justice. It’s not just a small group of bad apples, either. The show reveals a widespread problem within the force. Multiple officers are proudly sporting the skull emblem, and enforcing their own brutal version of the law.

The Punisher’s symbol, twisted

Cops are being shown having The Punisher's symbol tattooed on them. #DaredevilBornAgain

Frank definitely isn't going to be happy about that… pic.twitter.com/yWXpW9Anb6

— Daredevil Updates (@DDevilUpdates) March 7, 2025

But this isn’t just a fictional storyline. It directly addresses a real-world issue. Over the years, police officers and military personnel have adopted The Punisher’s logo, even though Frank Castle is anything but a hero. Even The Punisher’s creator, Gerry Conway, has spoken out about this. He has emphasized that Castle represents a failure of the justice system, not something to be celebrated.

Daredevil: Born Again is bringing that discussion to the forefront, and it’s already sparking plenty of debate. At the heart of this explosive storyline is Hector Ayala, a man on trial for killing a cop. But the truth is far more complicated. Hector stepped in to stop a man from being beaten, not realizing that the attackers were undercover officers. In the chaos, one officer fell onto the subway tracks and died. Instead of acknowledging it as a tragic accident, the NYPD brands Hector a cop killer. Moreover, it moves to make sure he never sees the light of day again. Matt Murdock takes on Hector’s defence, only to realize that the case is really about a system designed to protect itself at any cost.

The Punisher is a warning, not a role model

Daredevil Born Again, doing commentary on how cops (and white supremacist bigot culture) fell in love with the Punisher logo and used it to represent them even though Frank Castle is the opposite of everything they stand for? #DaredevilBornAgain #Daredevil pic.twitter.com/v5eHrw9qWQ

— Cyberpunk Rhapsody – OUT NOW! 水 (@TheNoveliss) March 12, 2025

Episode 3 goes all in on exposing how deeply The Punisher’s influence has seeped into the NYPD. As Hector’s trial unfolds, Matt sees just how widespread this faction is, with dozens of officers sitting in the courtroom, all marked with the same skull emblem. These aren’t just corrupt cops; they’re an organized force operating with complete impunity, carrying out their twisted version of justice. The irony, of course, is that Frank Castle would hate everything about this. The Punisher may be a ruthless vigilante, but he has no patience for corrupt cops. In the comics, Castle has repeatedly made it clear that law enforcement using his symbol completely misses the point.

Daredevil: Born Again is using its platform to highlight the dangers of officers who stop seeing themselves as public servants, and instead, start seeing themselves as enforcers of their brand of justice. Given how divisive this topic is, you’d think fans would be split, but the reaction so far has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s clear that Marvel isn’t playing it safe, and this storyline alone makes it one of the most compelling superhero shows in years.

In a hilarious turn of events, comic book fans would rather get their butts handed to them by none other than Batman. Why? Because they’re finally getting a taste of just how sick and brutal Daredevil is. That’s right, Disney Plus’ Daredevil: Born Again isn’t holding back on revealing Matt Murdock’s monstrous side. And now, getting beaten to a pulp by Bruce Wayne doesn’t sound too bad. 

Think about it… both Batman and Daredevil refuse to kill. But while Bruce has no qualms about severely maiming and injuring his opponents, Matt could slip-up and send you on a one-way trip to your maker. Evidently, when Marvel put out a content warning before Born Again premiered, there was a valid reason.

Daredevil: Born Again turned the violence up to 11

Marvel’s Daredevil reboot had an uphill journey from its inception. Of the four (five, if you count Defenders) Marvel Netflix TV shows, Daredevil had the most ionate fanbase. But one thing that fans demanded during the move to Disney Plus was the same gritty violence of the original. And Born Again delivers. 

The two-part premiere of Daredevil: Born Again proved that the MCU isn’t pulling any punches… literally. Amidst changes to the cast, crew, and tone, Marvel made sure to keep one thing true to the original — the violence.  

While the first episode included some fights, it was more concerned with setting up the plot for the show ahead. It was the fight at the end of episode 2 that let fans know that Marvel isn’t here to play. It’s the same fight scene that has fanboys running over to Batman for a healthier beatdown.

Daredevil and Batman have a few similarities, particularly their no-kill rule. This usually necessitates that they are more brutal in fights to keep their opponents down. However, some people think that Born Again’s Matt is even more ferocious than Bruce Wayne when you get him riled up. In that episode 2 fight alone, we saw more bloody blows, broken bones, and grade three concussions than we might have seen in the entire MCU and DCEU combined. 

What to expect from this season

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 will see Matt Murdock once again facing off against Wilson Fisk; however, the show takes a different approach to its predecessor. Both characters are on a journey of change, with Matt abandoning the Daredevil mantle after the events of episode 1. Similarly, Fisk is looking for redemption by parting with his Kingpin ways and running for Mayor of New York. 

Due to these character motivations, the show focuses more on Matt’s identity as a lawyer and friend than as Daredevil. That’s why we see him facing Fisk as himself more often than his vigilante persona. However, Marvel has insisted that the violence and maturity level of the show stays consistent throughout. 

Daredevil: Born Again is not perfect, but fans can appreciate the team’s dedication to keeping as much from the original show as possible. Whether it’s the thrilling back and forth between Matt and Fisk, or getting to see Matt beat people to within an inch of death, Born Again evidently has quite a lot in store for us. 

Death has long ago stopped being definitive in the world logic of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it’s fairly refreshing that Daredevil: Born Again seems determined to restore its weight in the narrative.

The show opened with a bang by killing off the only man capable of competing with Matt Murdock for the audience’s affection: his fearless sidekick Foggy Nelson. As eyeballs all over the world ed the finality of the moment, widespread heartbreak set it, and it became clear that the stakes of this new iteration of the once beloved Netflix outing were to be taken seriously. No more resurrections or ambiguous endings fueled by Marvel Studios’ fear to step out of line or make any sort of tough decisions.

Now, with episode 3 rolling in on Tuesday, the show renewed its commitment to keeping fans on their toes by saying goodbye to another character, who was quickly conquering the hearts of those watching. The chapter had a bloody, unexpected conclusion when Hector Ayala aka The White Tiger was killed just moments after a life-changing verdict found him not guilty of murdering a New York City cop. Despite his limited screen time, viewers had grown quite fond and attached to Hector, thanks in equal measure to the powerful performance of the late actor Kamar de los Reyes and soulful writing of the character.

Only three episodes in, the combination of the two twists was enough to cement Daredevil: Born Again as one of Marvel’s most ruthless offerings since the Infinity War/Endgame double whammy forced us to part with a multitude of our favorite characters. No one is truly safe on this show, no matter how much relevance they seem to have towards the plot, or how much popularity they earn with fans.

Still, I’d argue that’s a good thing. If there are no real consequences or risks when these heroes, vigilantes, and villains do the things they do, then how can audiences ever become invested in their stories? When plot devices like the multiverse, mystic arts, and advanced technology erase the finality of death or serious injury — as they have done with the likes of Gamora, Maria Rambeau, Loki, Vision, Daredevil‘s own Wilson Fisk and Bullseye, and possibly even Scarlet Witch — a precedent is inherently set for how we interact with those scenes. Fight scenes are only as fun to watch as their level of danger. Why should we be emotionally invested in any of it if, no matter the gravity of the fall, stab, gunshot wound, or weight of the building collapsing on your head, the writers will still unearth a plot hole to bring you back?

I mean, the MCU is so chicken about conclusively parting ways with fan favorites, that, when there’s really no coming back from their death, it will still bring back the actors in other roles. *Cough* RDJ as Dr. Doom *cough*.

Fan service or, as my good friend and fellow WGTC writer Charlotte Simmons likes to call it, glucose addiction, has become so rampant in the MCU, that it is genuinely refreshing to see a show like Daredevil: Born Again be brave enough to risk upsetting a few fans for the sake of its story and its thumping emotional heartbeats.

What’s more, the show is not employing these deaths in service of a frivolous shock factor, but rather framing them in a way that furthers the plot and renders them essential to its development. Even better, they acknowledge that Foggy, for example, is a fan favorite character and, as such, keep his memory alive by showing characters like Matt and Karen grieving his loss.

Of course, we’re only three episodes in, and with how the initial plan for the show was modified so many times, I might still end up eating my words. After all, it’s literally called Born Again.

Is Daredevil: Born Again the most-hyped Marvel TV series of them all? It’s hard to see how you could argue otherwise. Despite the popularity of other characters to get their own shows, like Scarlet Witch, Loki, and Hawkeye, the Disney Plus revival of Daredevil’s adventures is one of the number one projects MCU fans have been clamoring for ever since Netflix cancelled the original run in 2018. That’s seven full years of patience that finally paid off when Born Again premiered this March.

In some ways, then, you would expect the opening two-parter of the Charlie Cox-fronted series to break MCU TV records. After all, WandaVision and Ms. Marvel were great but we weren’t exactly waiting the best part of a decade for those projects. And yet, a week on, the ratings for Born Again‘s Disney Plus debut have been revealed — and they maybe aren’t as much of a bullseye as Daredevil diehards might’ve been anticipating.

Daredevil: Born Again Disney Plus debut flags behind Agatha and The Acolyte

Disney Plus (via Variety) has officially confirmed that Born Again violently sucker-punched its way to 7.5 million views across its first five days of availability. For context, a view is defined as total stream time divided by runtime. The streamer has announced that this makes it the most impressive premiere on the platform so far this year. So… that’s a total success, right?

Well, kind of. Disney Plus is very select about what viewing information it shares, thereby deliberately making it difficult to rank its different projects against each other. That said, we can use our best guesses to deduce how well Daredevil really did. For instance, it’s certainly head and shoulders above D+’s previous biggest streamer of 2025 — Sterling K. Brown’s enger drew 7 million views across nine days, so it no doubt had considerably fewer after just five.

On the other hand, Born Again‘s performance looks a lot less impressive when you stack it up against what is arguably Disney’s most notorious TV release from last year. Whether deserved or not, The Acolyte is doomed to go down as the nadir of Star Wars on streaming after it was swiftly cancelled following the conclusion of its debut season last summer. And yet it opened to a hefty 11.1 million across its first five days on the platform, far outperforming Born Again.

Still, maybe it’s fairer to compare Daredevil with its own kind. The last live-action MCU show, Agatha All Along, is known to have enchanted 9.3 million pairs of eyes across its first full week. Crunching the numbers, that means Agatha averaged about 1.3 million views in the days after its debut while Daredevil is averaging an improved 1.5 million. Agatha was already more popular than last January’s Echo (which was essentially a Born Again prelude), so that means Born Again is seeing the best ratings for an MCU show since Loki season 2 in 2023!

All in all, Daredevil: Born Again isn’t breaking records as we might’ve predicted from such a hotly anticipated series, but it’s still the strongest-performing Marvel show for a while. Is MCU fatigue just too pervasive now for the franchise to ever hit the same kind of small-screen success as in Disney Plus’ early years? Maybe, and with lesser-known IPs like Ironheart and Wonder Man on the way, this is likely destined to be Marvel’s biggest series of the year. The unequivocal good news, though? A second season is already filming for a 2026 release (and a third is rumored for 2027).

when Marvel said it was going to slow down its streaming output? Yeah, that may have been a slight stretch of the truth considering that 2026 is on course to deliver five separate Disney Plus productions, including three second seasons of pre-established favorites, another Special Presentation (you won’t want to miss this one), and a brand-new show that might just be the most ambitious of the lot. Prepare, Marvel fans, to embark on a Vision Quest.

And, wouldn’t you know it, it seems the quest has already begun for those behind the scenes. Production on the Paul Bettany-starring series, in which the Avengers alum will reprise his role as White Vision, appears to have started in the past few weeks We’re pretty sure we’re not supposed to know this yet, but the synthezoid cat is out of the bag thanks to cast member Todd Stashwick confirming that a run of night shoots in London have been keeping him away from home.

“Buzzing from a week of night shoots,” Stashwick shared on Instagram, alongside a selfie taken at a London train station. “Bleary and grateful. I love what I do. But I miss my family and friends. London is very kind to me though and living out some serious dreams. Stay warm.”

Why Vision Quest might secretly be Marvel’s most ambitious show

Stashwick is just one of a roster of eclectic actors who have been gathered for Vision Quest, which reveals how it is actually much more ambitious than it seems. Given everyone who is involved in the series, it can easily be claimed that it is a backdoor sequel to no less than five separate MCU projects, dating all the way back to the franchise’s inception in 2008.

First of all, Paul Bettany isn’t the only veteran from the first Iron Man movie in the show, as Faran Tahir is set to reprise his role as Raza (the Ten Rings terrorist who kidnaps Tony Stark, and therefore necessitates the creation of Iron Man). It’s possible Raza is working for a new big bad this time around, though, as none other than James Spader is making his long-awaited sophomore Marvel appearance as Ultron. Seeing as Ultron is kind of Vision’s father, it only makes sense that he’s back in the picture as White Vis attempts to determine his own identity.

Meanwhile, we have Ruaridh Mollica in a mysterious role, which is widely believed to be Tommy Maximoff/Speed. This would make a lot of sense as Vision Quest surely has to connect with its fellow WandaVision spin-off, Agatha All Along — which ended with Tommy’s twin Billy setting off on his own quest to find his brother. So, all in all, Vision Quest has to satisfyingly tie together plot-threads from those two series, Iron Man, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and of course Infinity War, which killed off the original Vision.

Stashwick is reuniting with Star Trek: Legacy creator Terry Matalas, who is serving as showrunner (making this the first entry in the “WandaVerse” not to be shepherded by Jac Schaeffer). With everyone and everything it needs to weave together somehow, Vision Quest is at risk of buckling under the weight. If it sticks the landing, though, this could be yet another successful follow-up to Bettany’s last MCU outing. Because what is Vision Quest if not WandaVision persevering?

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again.

Ron Weasley memorably once said, “You’re gonna suffer, but you’re gonna be happy about it,” and that seems to be an accurate assessment of the state of the MCU fandom this week, in the wake of Daredevil: Born Again‘s premiere. After seven years, the Man Without Fear is finally leading his own project once again, but the Disney Plus revival of the classic Netflix series got off to a bold start that broke more hearts than bones.

We were expecting ultra-violent action, but what we weren’t anticipating from Born Again was for a beloved character to be killed off within the first 15 minutes. Fans are no doubt going to be debating the value of such a shocking move for a long while to come… That is, unless said demise gets undone by the end of the season. Although you would think that would be impossible, those more eagle-eyed than Bullseye have spotted a curious Easter egg that might just give away a big twist to come. Spoilers after the jump!

Is Foggy Nelson really dead in Daredevil: Born Again? This Easter egg may suggest otherwise

The address for the Nelson, Murdock and Page law firm in ‘DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN’ is 468.

It is an Easter Egg to ‘Daredevil’ issue #468, called ‘The Secret Life of Foggy Nelson’, in which Foggy fakes his own death.

(h/t: @killerhog27) pic.twitter.com/onDWNg5Qzu

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) March 6, 2025

Yes, tragically, Matt Murdock’s best friend and fellow “avocado at law” Foggy Nelson is felled by old enemy Bullseye in the brutal opening scene to Born Again episode 1. His sudden death hits all the harder after we get a brief glimpse at how happy Matt, Foggy, and Karen Page have been in the years since Daredevil season 3. For instance, one shot shows the trio merrily walking out of their own legal practice, Nelson, Murdock & Page. The address, you can see if you look closely, is 468.

Here’s the curious thing. It just so happens that Daredevil #468 tells a story called “The Secret Life of Foggy Nelson,” in which the lawyer *drum roll please* fakes his own death. The circumstances in this comic issue are very different, though, with it revealed that Foggy faked his death in front of Matt because he had to be put in an FBI witness protection program. On the page, Foggy was being threatened by Vanessa Fisk, as part of a plot to destroy Daredevil and send Matt to prison.

In contrast, it would be much harder for viewers to accept that Foggy — who was shot through the chest, bled profusely, and then appeared to expire in Karen’s arms — was only acting. On the other hand, it should be stressed that Foggy faked his death again in a later comics run (this time with Matt helping him) before he died for real. As is tradition in Marvel Comics,however, he got better when he was resurrected by the Hand. Now, Elektra returning, and bringing a revived Foggy with her, would be a heck of a twist that wouldn’t strain credulity and fits with pre-established lore.

Whether Foggy’s death should be undone from a creative standpoint, or whether that would impact on the integrity of the story, is a whole other question. Fans are debating whether Robert Downey Jr. playing Doctor Doom ruins Iron Man’s fate, after all. Speaking of which, a timeline reset at the end of Avengers: Secret Wars could always solve Foggy’s little death problem, too. Bottom line? Foggy fandom, there’s still hope.

I’ve been a Michelle Trachtenberg fan since I was a little girl, so learning of her premature 2025 death devastated me as much as it did the rest of her millions of fans.

Trachtenberg was a gem of the ’90s, a spunky, charming star who dazzled audiences across dozens of releases between 1991 and 2024. She was also only 39 when she died, leaving the world — and her many fans — far too soon.

While most people know Trachtenberg best as Georgina Sparks or Dawn Summers, a rare few of we millennials grew up on a very different version of the star. We know her as Casey Carlyle, thanks to constant — and I mean constant — reruns of her 2005 teen sports dramedy, Ice Princess.

No, it’s not her best movie, and no, I’m not even saying its a good movie, but will I be watching it this week to celebrate the Trachtenberg movie that helped raise me? Why yes, yes I will. And I assume at least a few other people will be ing me, as they look to relive a moment of their lost youth, and mourn a star who once represented it.

Where to stream Ice Princess

It doesn’t have shining reviews or a stellar Rotten Tomatoes score, but Ice Princess will always hold a place in my heart. This isn’t even a movie I chose to watch on repeat — that honor goes to both Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and, for some reason, The Day After Tomorrow — but watch on repeat I did, simply because it was on. All. The. Time.

Which made me, and a few hundred other Disney Channel frequents, inadvertent but still avid fans of Trachtenberg. I haven’t seen the movie in years, and to be perfectly honest I expect it to be sub-par, at best, but I also know it will make me feel warm and fuzzy inside as only certain films can do.

If you’re looking to me in a rewatch of Trachtenberg’s charming 2005 release — which, by the way, also stars Joan Cusack, Kim Cattrall, and Hayden Panettiere — it’s thankfully nice and available on streaming. So long as you’ve got a Disney Plus subscription, that is. The film that used to drench Disney Channel re-runs is now settled nice and cozy on the streaming app, where nostalgic fans can go to enjoy it.

The 2005 release follows Trachtenberg’s Casey Carlyle, an academically-minded teen who tosses out her college career for a shot at being a figure skater. She uses her smarts to develop her skills, and ultimately tests her growing talent in a major competition. Its not the most original idea, and its delivery is shaky at points, but its our unoriginal, shaky final product.

There’s just so much to love in the silly, utterly 2000s release. Trachtenberg is surprisingly good on those skates, despite never having skated before ing the film, and various cheeky references to everyone from Tonya Harding to The Titans make it a time capsule of sorts. It won’t change your life, but it might make Trachtenberg’s ing a little less heartbreaking, and in these awful times we could all use a boost.