It's no secret by now that I've adored Daredevil for quite some time. After writing numerous articles about him and penning a full-length feature film trilogy, I decided to make a film cast based in the 1970s. Hope you guys enjoy!
Director: Sidney Lumet
As far as I'm concerned, no director has ever captured performances and the soul of New York City like that of Sidney Lumet. He's my favorite director of all time, and he exploded in the 70s with films like
Serpico,
Dog Day Afternoon,
Network,
Murder on the Orient Express, and
Equus. He's a director with explosive vision and isn't afraid to deliver a brutal kind of film. And with
The Verdict also under his belt, as well as the famous
12 Angry Men, Lumet has always been
the director for Daredevil.
Robert Redford as Matt Murdock
Look no further than
The Sting. Redford is every inch Matt Murdock. He's likable, rough-and-touble enough, and a very on-the-nose, quick lipped actor. Redford even has the look down pat.
Faye Dunaway as Karen Page
She worked with Lumet and won her Academy Award for her role in his
Network. If you want someone to bring a real relevance and weight to Karen Page, then you'd have a safe bet with Dunaway, who also roared through the 70s with great roles, opposite the likes of Peter Finch and Jack Nicholson.
Paul Newman as The Fixer
Newman needs no introduction. He's been able to work with extreme range and has fascinated audiences everywhere with his flavor of characters. Lumet directed him to an Oscar nomination in
The Verdict and he could bring tons of layers to a figure as "small" as The Fixer.
Albert Finney as The Kingpin
He worked with Lumet both on
Murder on the Orient Express and Lumet's final film
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, and would have made a killer Kingpin. Though he doesn't have the extreme weight, Lumet probably would have directed the film with Fisk as more of a believably Godfather-esque intimidation. And who better to grab than Finney?
Dustin Hoffman as Foggy Nelson
Plucky, spunky, and short, Dustin Hoffman could have been the living, breathing Foggy Nelson with ease. Always in the shadow of the adored Robert Redford in the film, he could have easily skipped his way into our hearts, also pulling off quite the convincing lawyer and catching us all by surprise.
Jack Nicholson as Bullseye
I considered Gene Wilder at first, but went with Nicholson because of his tremendous presence. He's got that bad-guy-glimmer and slime to his eyes and smile, and there's no one else I'd rather throw the psychotic role to than a physically prime Nicholson. It'd be a great chance for him to practice for The Joker, at the least.