Geekshow

If I Ran Hollywood… Daredevil

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

The Man Without Fear!

I originally posted this around this time last year, but since I’m going to be bringing this article series back (and actually write more of them), I thought I’d repost it for anyone who didn’t get a chance to read it the first time around. I’ve also updated some things a bit where they were outdated. Enjoy!

If I Ran Hollywood… is a series of articles in which I take on the role of Producer and not only cast an adaptation of my favorite comic/geek-related properties, but also choose a director, and write out a rough outline of what I think the story should be. Of course I know that even in a perfect world the odds of the stars aligning for any of my “dream projects” to come to fruition are slim to none, making this less “If I Ran Hollywood…” and more “If I Ruled Hollywood With An Iron Fist Of Doom…”, but I digress.

Reboots seem to be all the rage in Hollywood at the moment, so for my first outing I’m going to take a swing at one of my favorite Marvel Comics characters, Daredevil. The 2003 film (from writer/director Mark Steven Johnson) was, in my opinion, one of the biggest disappointments to come out of this new age of comic book movies. Some will without a doubt argue that the Director’s Cut was vastly improved, but I would argue that while I agree it was better, it still wasn’t necessarily good, and it still wasn’t what I want from a Daredevil film.

Daredevil is a character that, if done right, could easily be one of the more accessible superheroes for mainstream audiences. I think that if The Dark Knight did anything, it proved that audiences are extremely interested in street level heroes. Daredevil is definitely at his best when he’s taking down Hell’s Kitchen’s organized criminal element, rather than groups like The Hand who work just fine in the funnybooks, but I just don’t think they’re as easy to swallow on film. Plus, while he technically has superpowers, they don’t have to be a focus at all and can be kept purposefully vague. The fact that Matt Murdock is a blind superhero who has the power to kinda sorta see, isn’t what makes the character interesting. Instead, the focus should be on his inner battle with trying to keep his faith in the the court system, but ultimately wanting justice whether it comes from the sound of a judge’s gavel or at the hands of his vigilante alter-ego. At the end of the day, Daredevil should be a crime story. Period.

THE DIRECTOR

My first instinct for the director’s chair would be Martin Scorcese. Between the mob stuff and the boxing stuff (Battlin’ Jack Murdock flashbacks), he seems like a perfect choice, and it goes without saying he has the talent. But since I didn’t cast Leonardo DiCaprio as Matt Murdock (even though that wouldn’t be the end of the world by any stretch), lets just assume Scorcese wouldn’t be available. He’s almost so perfect it takes out a bit of the fun. So with that in mind, my pick for the filmmaker to bring Daredevil to the big screen would be…

David Fincher (The Social Network, Fight Club, and Seven)

It wasn’t long ago that the director of Fight Club was on the short list for Spider-Man’s theatrical debut (a job that eventually went to Sam Raimi), and while I don’t think that would have necessarily been a good fit, I think Fincher’s gothic-noir style would be great to bring dirty, gritty life to Daredevil. Plus, what’s a hero without a hometown to protect? I can already picture Fincher’s Hell’s Kitchen in all its glory, and I can get why Matt Murdock would feel the need to throw on red tights, grab a billy club, and do whatever it took to protect it from it’s more unsavory elements.

Daredevil isn’t all rooftops and back alleys, however, so he’d have to be able to make the courtroom drama just as exciting as The Man Without Fear’s nightlife exploits. Matt Murdock is a lawyer at the end of the day, and all the best Daredevil stories found a perfect balance between court cases and pounding faces (Yeah, I rhymed. What of it?). But after his work on The Social Network, Fincher proved that he can make a court case just as compelling as his action, and that’s exactly the kind of tight rope act the director of Daredevil needs to be able to pull of.

THE CAST

Matt Murdock aka Daredevil – Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica and Law&Order: UK)

Every once in a while an actor or actress comes along that is absolutely born to play a particular role. For Daredevil, I believe that actor is Jamie Bamber. Anyone who has seen him as Lee Adama on Battlestar Galactica knows he can already run the gamut from action hero to legal defender through the course of the series. He’s a capable actor who I believe could bring a level of believability and respectability back to the character of Matt Murdock. Its important the audience sympathizes with Matt, and Affleck just couldn’t do it for me (now rather that was Affleck or the script is another story entirely… but regardless, it didn’t work). Daredevil doesn’t kill, that the Punisher’s MO. That was a huge mistake the first film made because I can’t genuinely like a character that is a murderer. At the end of the day, Matt needs to believe in the justice system, not take it into his own hands. That just makes me Judge Dredd, not Daredevil. Many fans have made exclamations of Michael C. Hall (Dexter) or Misha Collins (Supernatural) for the role, and while I genuinely like both actors, I just don’t see either of them as a great Daredevil. For my money, Bamber is pitch perfect.

Franklin “Foggy” Nelson – Patton Oswalt (Big Fan and The King of Queens)

The strongest part of 2003’s Daredevil was easily Jon Favreau as Foggy, so it is unfortunate that in order for a clean break from the ham and cheese of the original film, we really need to recast everyone. Of course, I’m pretty sure Favreau is far too busy counting his Iron Man money to be upset about missing out on playing Foggy Nelson again, so no worries. This brings us to Patton Oswalt, who really has the perfect personality to pull off the character. Foggy is Matt’s anchor to humanity and best friend. He has to be there to point out when/if Matt is taking his exploits as Daredevil too far, regardless of whether he wants to hear it or not. Beyond that, he should also be a subtle means of comic relief in an otherwise dark film. I think Oswalt has proven himself recently with his roles in Big Fan and even Dollhouse that he has the chops to pull off the role perfectly. And best of all? He’s one of us! Total comic book nerd who I truly believe, if a producer offered him the role, he’d never think twice. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be Patton Oswalt’s best friend? (rhetorical. seriously, don’t answer just so you can be “that guy”)

Karen Page – January Jones (Mad Men)

I know that Elektra seems to be the fan favorite for Matt’s love interest, but I gotta be honest, I never really got it. While I can understand the appeal of the a romance between two equals, there’s just something much more interesting about Matt trying to maintain a romantic relationship with someone who isn’t related to all that superhero business. For me, Karen Page was the love of Matt’s life and losing her was always much more tragic. Sure, it was sad when Elekra died, but they both knew it was a possibility because of the life they’ve chosen to lead. I think January Jones will be great to take the role of Karen Page from what most actresses would keep firmly in two-dimensions to a full, well-rounded character. She did the same for Betty Draper on Mad Men, a character who could easily have become a parody of a 60s housewife. Not to mention the simple fact that January’s Betty looks like Tim Sale’s Karen Page from Daredevil: Yellow come to life. As for the darker aspects of the character? I don’t care what continuity says, my Karen Page was never addicted to heroin nor a porn star, and I’m not remotely interested in her ever doing either.

Ben Urich – Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars)

I know that this isn’t a conventional choice as he doesn’t particularly resemble the character, but there’s just something about Enrico Colantoni (and especially his portrayal of Keith Mars) that just screams “Ben Urich” to me. When most people do fancasts (which I know is what this whole article essentially is) they seem to focus on outward appearance. This is how you see a TON of wrestlers cast as comic characters, or in the case of Ben Urich: David Caruso. I mean, not for nothing, but the character deserves better than that people… what did he ever do to you? For me, Ben Urich is the best investigative journalist in New York, but he’s not successful because he’s cursed with a moral code. Even though he has every reason in the world to print a story that could make him famous, he won’t do it if it could destroy the life of a good person. This is ultimately the dilemma he’s faced with when he figures out that the blind lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen is also Daredevil. Urich is doomed to be down on his luck, and Colantoni is the first face that comes to mind.

Wilson Fisk aka The Kingpin – Ray Winstone (The Departed and Indiana Jones 4)

Remember when I said people get too wrapped up in physical appearances when casting comic characters? Well, the Kingpin is no exception. The problem, of course, is that Wilson Fisk is a very recognizable character and there really isn’t anyone that fits the bill physically. No one is that big (and before you say it: No, Butterbean cannot play The Kingpin). I think that’s ultimately why the producers went with Michael Clark Duncan, he’s the losest thing they could get to the physical stature and presence needed to pull off the role as its presented in the funnybooks. But here’s the thing: It’s COMIC BOOKS. Its not supposed to be realistic, that why we read them. The Kingpin doesn’t exist, and the best thing you can do is cast someone who can play both respected business man and ruthless mob boss. If he can play the character larger than life, then he will BE larger than life. This brought me to Ray Winstone who has proven that he can play a gangster with ease, and I think his graduation to Kingpin would be a non-issue.

Leland Owlsley aka The Owl – Jack Nicholson (Lots of stuff. He’s Jack Nicholson!)

Leland Owlsley has been (mostly) portrayed as a bit of a joke. From inception, he was essentially a knock-off of another bird fixated villain from Gotham City. So in order to quell that comparison for the film, I thought it would be more interesting if The Owl had the “Kingpin of crime” title at the beginning of the film, eventually losing his role to his right hand man, Wilson Fisk. For the role of a cocky, been there done that Godfather-type, I personally feel that Jack Nicholson fits the role nicely. Plus, I really dig the idea of him being referred to as an “old bird”. He’d just need to play it straight and not try to ham it up like he did as the Joker (Which as long as nobody actually tells Jack that Daredevil is a comic book, he shouldn’t be wiser…).

Mary Walker aka Typhoid Mary – Angela Bettis (May and 2002’s Carrie)

Another character that I think would benefit from a bit of change would be Typhoid Mary. Her character could be super cheesy if done improperly, so the first change would be that Mary Walker is The Owl’s daughter. I know I know, cry sacrilege all you want, but at least hear me out. I see Mary as the daughter of a crime boss who is mousy and constantly talked down to and mistreated. Her “Typhoid” personality comes as a way of coping with a total lack of confidence, while her “Bloody” personality first arrives when she is nearly raped by one of her father’s henchmen. She’s broken for sure, and when I think broken, I think Angela Bettis. Her roles in May and Carrie are exactly what I’ve envision for Mary. She’s a talented actress who not only deserves the exposure, but would be able to believably play all three of Mary’s personalities.

Battlin’ Jack Murdock – Ray Liotta (Goodfellas and Narc)

Jack Murdock would only be in flashbacks of course, but its an important role nevertheless. I like Ray Liotta, and I think he’d be pretty believable as an aging boxer and father. Plus, he looks like he could be one half of Bamber… kind of.

THE PITCH

Movie 1

As the film opens, Daredevil has been around for a few months, just long enough to have become a nuisance to Leland Owlsley, the man running the biggest crime organization in Hell’s Kitchen. Wilson Fisk is his right hand man, mostly due to the fact that he is in a relationship with Owl’s daughter Mary, but Fisk is secretly leading a rival crime family. His plan is to eventually overpower and betray Owlsley and combine the two mobs of Hell’s Kitchen and setting himself up as the Kingpin of the whole shebang (SPOILER! He succeeds…).

Matt Murdock and Foggy have just opened their Nelson and Murdock legal firm after leaving the giant firm they had worked at since graduating law school. Needless to say they’re struggling, taking any case they can. They’re also very unorganized, their office still looking like they just moved in. Karen Page comes by looking for secretarial work, and they explain to her that as much as they want and desperately need a secretary, they just can’t afford it. Karen offers to work for free until they can pay her, she believes that she can improve their business just by keeping them organized and answering their phone. She begins working for them, and of course, her and Matt spark up a relationship much to Foggy’s chagrin who had called “dibs”.

Ben Urich is a reporter for the Daily Bugle. He has an assistant who he usually sticks with whatever stories he doesn’t want. His assistant, a wannabe reporter, keeps telling him that this Daredevil could be the story of his career, but Urich doesn’t buy it. Instead Urich writes a story about Leland Owlsley which he isn’t too happy about. Owl orders his men to teach Urich a lesson. They corner him in an alley and beat him up. Daredevil shows up and saves him. Suddenly, Urich doesn’t think a story about Hell’s Kitchen’s guardian would be too bad an idea. So he begins to investigate Daredevil, and try to figure out his identity.

Mary Walker, Leland Owlsely’s daughter, has had enough abuse (mental and physical) at her father’s hand, and Typhoid Mary is born. Typhoid Mary becomes a vigilante in her own right, going out at night and breaking up some of her father’s shady dealings. At first, Daredevil sees her as an ally, even teaming up with her a couple times. This changes however when one of Owl’s thugs attempts to rape Mary, and Bloody Mary is born. Bloody Mary brutally kills the thug, and goes out on patrol with Daredevil as Typhoid Mary. The two put a stop to a big drug exchange, but Mary doesn’t stop there. She begins slaughtering the men one by one. Daredevil stops her, but she gets away.

Through a bit of good detective work and crazyrandomhappenstance, Ben Urich discovers that the struggling blind lawyer, Matt Murdock, and Daredevil are one in the same. He struggles with the information because he know what would happen to Matt’s life if he wrote the story. He decides to meet with Matt and come clean. Matt thinks he wants money, but in reality, Urich just wants to thank him for everything he’s done for the city and for saving his life. Matt simply smiles and says “I don’t know what you’re talking about…”. They understand each other. Urich shreds the file he had on Daredevil, but his assistant takes the shredded paper.

With Bloody Mary on the loose, Fisk decides that the time is now to enact his takeover. He shows up with his gang to the Owl’s office for a showdown, but is surprised to find that Mary has beaten him there. The Owl is dead. Long live The Kingpin.

Daredevil finds Mary on a roof, covered in her father’s blood. She wants him to get her help. Just so happens that he knows a great lawyer that would be able to get her an insanity plea no problem if she turned herself in.

Urich’s assistant storms into the editor’s office of the Daily Bugle’s competitor and throws down a painstakingly taped together file that reads: Daredevil.

After the very public trial of Mary Walker, who is now in a mental hospital, business is booming at Nelson and Murdock. Karen gets her first paycheck (with back pay of course), and everything is awesome.

The film ends on a close up of a newspaper headline at a news stand: DAREDEVIL IS BLIND LAWYER FROM HELL’S KITCHEN

(NOTE: I did not bother casting anything from the next two films because they’re a lot more vague than my take on the first movie.)

Movie 2

This film will show the rise of Wilson Fisk as the “Kingpin of Crime”. As Daredevil, Matt will be trying his best to foil Fisk’s plans, but fails at every turn. His outting as Daredevil by the press is taking a tole on his personal life, both his new romance with Karen and his longtime friendship with Foggy. But through it all, the situation should make both relationships stronger. Kingpin hires the Enforcers to take out Daredevil, and fail several times. Eventually Kingpin comes up with a “better idea” and asks Matt to meet him. There he finds the bodies of the Enforcers and the police show up and find him. He’s been set-up. Daredevil escapes, but the police show up at his apartment and arrest him later. Before the trial, Ben Urich is trying to find out information on the murders and questions the morgue tech. The morgue guy mentions that all three men were killed exactly the same way: precise hit to a particular artery near the heart. Morgue tech – “The guy would have to be a perfect shot. Pop! Pop! Pop! Bullseye..”. Matt Murdock is found guilty and goes to prison.

Movie 3

Matt is in prison, but with the help of Urich and Foggy, tries to build a case to prove his innocence. Kingpin gets wind of Matt’s plans, and knowing that he will eventually succeed, rehires Bullseye after he used him off camera in the last film. Bullseye must commit a crime, get caught, convicted, and then kill Matt Murdock from within prison. Of course he fails to kill Matt, after a standoff between the two during a prison riot that Bullseye started as a distraction. Foggy and Urich prove Matt’s innocence and he is released. Everything is back to normal and Matt vows to put his Daredevil alter ego away for good so he can focus on his career and his relationship with Karen. But since nothing can be happy for Matt, Bullseye escapes and takes Karen hostage, demanding that Matt show up in costume to face him. They fight, Daredevil wins, but with his last bit of strength, Bullseye throws Daredevil’s billy club and hits Karen. She dies in his arms. While Matt grieves, Bullseye takes this opportunity to escape. Matt decides to go after the man responsible for all of this: Wilson Fisk. Foggy tries to stop him, it isn’t what Karen would have wanted, but Matt refuses to listen to reason. He fights his way into Fisk’s office. Fisk – “Are you here to kill me?” Daredevil – “No. I’m here to tell you that I’m not going away. Not now. Not ever.”. We then see Matt, Foggy, and Urich at Karen’s funeral. They ask Matt about what he’s going to do now, is he going to stop being Daredevil? Matt – “Before, I wouldn’t do what was needed to get justice. I didn’t want to put my loved ones in harm’s way. But now, I’ll never stop. I’m a Man Without Fear…”

So ends my Daredevil trilogy.

So ends my very first If I Ran Hollywood article! I really hope you guys liked this and will want to read more of them. I put a lot of research into these so I doubt I can get them done more than once a month, but as soon as I finish them, I’ll post it!

Scott Carelli is a podcaster and aspiring writer. Look for more of his articles coming soon to Geekshow Entertainment. Until then, you can follow him on Twitter.