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Disclaimer: This article solely reflects the author’s opinion. Reader discretion is advised.
Daredevil: Born Again will continue the storyline of Netflix's Daredevil, which began almost 10 years ago on April 10, 2015. The action-packed trailer of the new series has people, especially adult comicbook buffs, excited as it promises a hard-edged and darker superhero series suitable for grown-ups. Despite the phenomenal trailer, Born Again has to overcome one challenge.
The Netflix Marvel shows, including Daredevil, are now dubbed the Defenders Saga by fans, with Disney+ taking over their streaming rights. Comicbook fans know the release order of these shows. However, the majority of people probably might not be aware of, or may have forgotten, the chronological release order. To understand what goes on in Daredevil: Born Again, it is important to know the order of events in the older storylines. Also, the incorporation of the Defenders Saga into the MCU has complicated things further for Daredevil: Born Again.
So, let's look at the release and continuity of these shows before Daredevil: Born Again is scheduled to drop on March 4, 2025, on Disney+.
The Defenders Saga chronological release order ahead of Daredevil: Born Again release
- Daredevil Season 1 - April 10, 2015
- Jessica Jones Season 1 - November 20, 2015
- Daredevil Season 2 - March 18, 2016
- Luke Cage Season 1 - September 30, 2016
- Iron Fist Season 1 - March 17, 2017
- The Defenders Season 1 - August 18, 2017
- The Punisher Season 1 - November 17, 2017
- Jessica Jones Season 2 - March 8, 2018
- Luke Cage Season 2 - June 22, 2018
- Iron Fist Season 2 - September 7, 2018
- Daredevil Season 3 - October 19, 2018
- The Punisher Season 2 - January 18, 2019
- Jessica Jones Season 3 - June 14, 2019
The order mentioned above is the chronological release order of the Defenders Saga, or Netflix Marvel shows. While skipping the negatively received first season of Iron Fist might seem tempting, doing so might not be a prudent choice. All these Netflix series have references to each other.
For instance, before Luke Cage Season 1, we meet the character in Jessica Jones Season 1. Similarly, the second season of Daredevil heavily featured Frank Castle/The Punisher. If you are a casual Marvel fan, then watching these series according to their order of release might be suitable before you catch Daredevil: Born Again.
How were the Netflix Marvel shows included in the MCU timeline?
- Daredevil Season 1 - Set after the events of I Am Groot and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2
- Jessica Jones Season 1 - Set after the events of Daredevil Season 1
- Daredevil Season 2 - Set after the events of Ant-Man
- Luke Cage Season 1 - Set after the events of Daredevil Season 2
- Iron Fist Season 1 - Set after the events of Luke Cage Season 1
- The Defenders Season 1 - Set after the events of Iron Fist Season 1
- The Punisher Season 1 - Set after the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming
- Jessica Jones Season 2 - Set after the events of Doctor Strange
- Luke Cage Season 2 - Set after the events of Jessica Jones Season 2
- Iron Fist Season 2 - Set after the events of Luke Cage Season 2
- Daredevil Season 3 - Set after the events of Iron Fist Season 2
- The Punisher Season 2 - Set after the events of Thor: Ragnarok
- Jessica Jones Season 3 - Set after the events of The Punisher Season 2
Based on the information above, we can ascertain that Marvel Studios has incorporated the Defenders Saga in Phase 3 alone. The first season of Daredevil unfolds after I Am Groot and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. James Gunn did confirm that the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie is set just a few months after the first one, while The Punisher Season 2 and Jessica Jones Season 3 are set somewhere between Thor: Ragnarok but before Avengers: Infinity War.
Setting these shows in Phase 3 was also a practical decision. The five-year time skip between Avengers: Infinity War's conclusion and Avengers: Endgame works in Marvel's favor. But that does not mean that we have to wait until Daredevil: Born Again to know what the world of Netflix Marvel characters looked like for the five years after Thanos's snap.
We already know that Matt Murdock survived the snap because we saw him in the flashback in the first episode of Echo. However, we don't know who else among Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones survived the snap. It is also unclear whether the actors playing the above characters will return. With the announcement of Daredevil: Born Again, fans were hoping for many of these stars to be back.
What is the status of Krysten Ritter, Finn Jones, and Mike Colter ahead of Daredevil: Born Again?
Ever since Daredevil: Born Again was announced in July 2022, fans of the Netflix Marvel shows have been wondering if Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist will be back too. As of now, their return is not officially confirmed. However, Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios‘ Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, did express hopes of a fourth season for Jessica Jones at the D23 Brazil Expo.
In response, Krysten Ritter said:
“Brad Winderbaum said that? That’s really exciting to hear. Isn’t that the guy who makes the call? Come on, Brad! Let’s get it going. Let’s do it. I’ll be ready.”
Ritter's fellow Defenders actors Mike Colter and Finn Jones have also expressed the desire to reprise their roles as Luke Cage and Iron Fist respectively. Colter said in an interview:
"I would love to explore it, if they found some story, some way, somewhere, to take it. And I'm happy that Charlie Cox and those are getting it rebooted, but I don't have any [idea if Luke Cage is getting rebooted]. I'm not holding anything back."
Finn Jones told The Nerd Shepherd, on returning as Danny Rand/Iron Fist:
“I think there's a lot of room for growth with that character that I've always liked to see, and I think I'm in a place professionally where I would like to continue to grow with that character.”
Based on the comments above, it looks like we need to just wait till Daredevil: Born Again, to get a clear picture on the status of these characters.
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You can catch the entire Defenders Saga on Disney+ before Daredevil: Born Again releases on March 4, 2025. If you are worried about kids accessing the content, don't worry. You can block this mature Marvel content using parental lock settings.
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