DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN Star Vincent D'Onofrio Responds To Rob Liefeld's Claim Series Was Originally A "Comedy"

DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN Star Vincent D'Onofrio Responds To Rob Liefeld's Claim Series Was Originally A "Comedy"

After Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld claimed that Daredevil: Born Again was a "comedy" before the cast intervened, Kingpin actor Vincent D'Onofrio has set the record straight. Read on for details...

By JoshWilding - Feb 19, 2025 08:02 AM EST
Filed Under: Daredevil

As you're likely already aware, Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld recently severed ties with Marvel after sharing his displeasure with how he was credited in Deadpool & Wolverine; the comic book writer and artist also vented his frustrations after he wasn't invited to the premiere's afterparty. 

Like Beau DeMayo, Liefeld now spends much of his time online sharing his issues with the company with anyone willing to listen. His latest podcast, for example, is titled "Marvel: How Feige Lost His Fastball." 

Last night, Liefeld took to X and declared, "Prior to the Marvel Brass finally listening to the talent, [Daredevil: Born Again] was a comedy! They brought in action impression Phil Silvera who literally reshot most every episode. The action and stunts are next level!"

That prompted Kingpin actor Vincent D'Onofrio to chime in and set the record straight. Acknowledging that Silvera (who also worked on Deadpool) did indeed lend a helping hand with Daredevil: Born Again, he also credited showrunner Dario Scardapane for his input and dismissed the notion of there being any sort of rift between Marvel Studios and the show's cast.

"Phil was hired again for the stunts that's true. Yet the new episodes even the action scenes were written by Dario our showrunner," D'Onofrio explained. "Phil came in with his expertise and coordinated the stunts."

"It was a wonderful restart and we all worked really hard for the fans. Charlie, myself and Dario our producers and studio heads felt like we knew what the fans wanted. That was our goal," the actor added. 

Much has been said about Daredevil: Born Again's creative overhaul. While sweeping changes were made, this isn't a Captain America: Brave New World-style situation with reshoots used to try and fix a project that wasn't working.

In contrast, the Man Without Fear's MCU return was taken back to the drawing board, with only a few of the scenes shot by the previous creative team carrying over to this new version.

In Marvel Television's Daredevil: Born Again, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), a blind lawyer with heightened abilities is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.

The series also stars Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Zabryna Guevara, Nikki James, Genneya Walton, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Michael Gandolfini, with Ayelet Zurer and Jon Bernthal. Dario Scardapane is showrunner.

Episodes are directed by Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Michael Cuesta, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, and David Boyd; and executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Sana Amanat, Chris Gary, Dario Scardapane, Christopher Ord & Matthew Corman, and Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead.

Daredevil: Born Again premieres with two episodes on Disney+ on March 4, 2025.

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FrankenDad
FrankenDad - 2/19/2025, 8:11 AM
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TheLobster
TheLobster - 2/19/2025, 8:17 AM
Notice how Vincent did not deny the claims of it being a comedy originally lol

I think Feige is doing a lot of things wrong these days but overhauling Daredevil is probably the best move he’s made in the last 5 years.
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 2/19/2025, 8:28 AM
@TheLobster - I noticed that. I also read his comments in Kingpin's voice. Dramatic delivery and everything.
satanicbatman
satanicbatman - 2/19/2025, 8:35 AM
@TheLobster - That’s because he did not respond to those claims. This is just the “writer” attempting to shoehorn stories together for clicks.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 2/19/2025, 8:40 AM
@TheLobster - If Liefeld is being kept out the loop so much they don't even want him at an after party how the hell would he know the tone of a show he had nothing to do with writing?

Vincent's response was well measured but implied the story didnt change that much just increased the action with all prior reporting having stated Matt was in a darker place ditching the suit after the death of his two close friends and more a courtroom drama.

The one thing it NEVER sounded like was ever being a comedy.
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 2/19/2025, 8:48 AM
@TheLobster - User Comment Image
Fogs
Fogs - 2/19/2025, 8:56 AM
@TheLobster - Yeap. Noticed that too.

Cautiously optimistic about this one.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 2/19/2025, 1:16 PM
@TheLobster - if anything he confirms Liefeld's claim by stating Phil coordinated the stunts.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 2/19/2025, 1:18 PM
@TheLobster - where is this info from??

"with only a few of the scenes shot by the previous creative team carrying over to this new version."

Is this confirmed to be true because I thought I saw it reported here that only the pilot and the courtroom stuff was reshot with alot carrying over. I genuinely hope that the large majority of the season was genuinely reshot.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 2/19/2025, 1:18 PM
@DarthOmega - LOL
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/19/2025, 8:19 AM
D’Onofrio was much politer then I would have been lol…

Given the previous showrunners , I doubt it was a full on comedy but perhaps a lighter tone akin to Mark Waid or Stan Lee back in the day where we got to see the charming swashbuckling side more of the character but still had its share of drama.

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This is Liefeld’s new way to stay relevant now.
TrentCrimm
TrentCrimm - 2/19/2025, 8:26 AM
Liefeld and Demayo should start a support group or something. All these guys do is whine and complain and then act flabbergasted that people don't want to work with them anymore.

They're the "nice guys" who in reality are insufferable narcissists with no self awareness, everyone else is the problem.

If today you meet an a**hole, then you met an a**hole, but if everyone you met today is an a**hole, then you're probably the asshole.
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 2/19/2025, 9:43 AM
@TrentCrimm - Terrence Howard already started that support group. It’s called “ 1 x 1 equals 2”
GirshwinDavies
GirshwinDavies - 2/19/2025, 12:53 PM
@slickrickdesigns - hahaha
dagenspear
dagenspear - 2/19/2025, 6:00 PM
@TrentCrimm - How would you know who and what they are like in all of this
MisterBones
MisterBones - 2/19/2025, 8:30 AM
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SATW42
SATW42 - 2/19/2025, 8:39 AM
So to be clear, Liefeld leaves Marvel, complains he's not in the loop or credited enough with projects, but knows the ins and outs of the daredevil production?

hmmmm
MotherGooseUPus
MotherGooseUPus - 2/19/2025, 8:44 AM
@SATW42 - User Comment Image

but seriously... how would that guy know ANYTHING at all about DD when he never worked on it or was even near it??
Forthas
Forthas - 2/19/2025, 8:49 AM
This is exactly what I have been stating before! It was James Gunn that ushered in the idea that these shows should be slapstick with the success of Guardians of the Galaxy and many tried to follow suit and THAT is what led to the decrease in quality shows and films. Now he wants to do the same to DC.

Say YES to Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and say NO to Stupidity, Extremism, and Ignorance (SEI)
Fogs
Fogs - 2/19/2025, 8:58 AM
@Forthas - It works in certain properties like GoTG, Ant-Man and even She-Hulk - IF well-written.

DD? Not so much.
Forthas
Forthas - 2/19/2025, 9:02 AM
@Fogs - She HulK??? We will have to agree to disagree on that!

Personally I think the more serious tone tends to be the better films. Even if you look to Deadpool, they are good films but I don't think they are among the best (quality wise) films and Marvel should strive to make the best films all of the time.


Say YES to Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and say NO to Stupidity, Extremism, and Ignorance (SEI)
Fogs
Fogs - 2/19/2025, 9:17 AM
@Forthas - That's why I wrote about the good writing right after I mentioned her case. I used to read Peter David's She-Hulk in the 90s, and it was funny and great.

I'd never be able to make a generic assertion like serious=better as you do, but opinions, opinions.
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 2/19/2025, 9:33 AM
@Fogs - I agree with you. It works for certain shows/movies.
Hell Ragnarok was an action comedy and that’s in my top 5 MCU films.
She Hulk should be a comedy. I didn’t even think the writing for most of that series was bad it just had a bad final episode that made the rest of the show feel pointless.

But I do think they need to hire well experienced writers who should write a more engaging script for the serious films.
Like every (and I mean every) Marvel film, a little comedy delivered correctly can make a serious movie great. Each cap movie with Chris Evans has just the right amount of comedy not to detract from the seriousness of his films.
Rant over…
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 2/19/2025, 9:48 AM
@Forthas - [frick] gunn
McMurdo
McMurdo - 2/19/2025, 1:20 PM
@Forthas - your Gunn derangement syndrome is showing. I liked your commentary better when you were pretending Man of Steel was high art.
Fogs
Fogs - 2/19/2025, 1:46 PM
@slickrickdesigns - I agree (except the ragnarok part 😉)
dagenspear
dagenspear - 2/19/2025, 5:59 PM
@Forthas - No, I'd pin that on Whedon and his pointless jokes all the time. Gunn continued that and it became larger, but that was moreso in tone with the way the story was told for me, unlike some of whedon's for me.
Forthas
Forthas - 2/19/2025, 7:18 PM
@dagenspear - There are degrees! I think the difference is that Whedon has light moments (often inappropriately so) during a scene which often takes me out of it. Whereas Gunn sets up entire scenes for the comedic payoff which makes his films more comedy than drama.
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 2/20/2025, 8:32 AM
@dagenspear - so Ironman 2 didn’t have a larger quantity of jokes that spiraled into jokes in the avengers?
Heck the original IM had a ton of jokes.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 2/20/2025, 11:09 AM
@slickrickdesigns - Different tone and type moreso to me. Tony is moreso dry in those where he cracks a joke and such. But I think IM2 was more leaning into it to me than the first.
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 2/19/2025, 9:36 AM
Are we really gonna listen to a guy who can’t draw feet?

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slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 2/19/2025, 9:40 AM
look I’m about as good a Reb Liefield!
Might be better because I can draw feet!
But marvel keeps ignoring my phone calls.

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RolandD
RolandD - 2/19/2025, 1:29 PM
@slickrickdesigns - He knows nothing about physiology, either.
RolandD
RolandD - 2/19/2025, 1:40 PM
@slickrickdesigns -
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