In Daredevil: Born Again, Michael Gandolfini - the son of the late, great Sopranos star James Gandolfini - plays Daniel Blake, a Wilson Fisk fanboy who serves on the New York Mayor's staff.
Daniel is a character created specifically for the MCU, though many fans believe he'll be revealed as a new version of Butch, the Kingpin of Crime's illegitimate son. If so, the relationship between Wilson and his young protégé promises to get very complicated, very quickly.
Talking to TV Line, Vincent D'Onofrio reflected on crossing paths with Michael's father earlier in his career and teased a big Daredevil: Born Again scene between his and James' respective MCU characters.
"We spent some time together, James and I," he said of his Mr. Wonderful co-star. "We weren’t like best friends or anything, but we had some great conversations. He was a really good dude."
"James had Michael, and now I know Michael and we’ve become friends, and he’s just the sweetest kid," D'Onofrio continued. "There is a scene in Fisk’s in office that called for [Michael] to stand up to my character. [Daniel Blake] wasn’t written as a powerful character, but in this particular moment he needs to be powerful because he has been called out by Kingpin to answer for something that he did."
"Michael had this monologue right in my face, and every time he did a take, he just hit it perfectly in a different way each time. That’s the sign of a an actor that’s on his way to becoming one of those actors that’s multi-leveled and can carry a story. I was so impressed by [Michael’s monologue] and simultaneously so happy for him." the actor concluded.
The site also spoke with Daredevil: Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane about Jon Bernthal's return as Frank Castle (which is expected to take place in this Tuesday's episode of the Disney+ series).
Scardapane was an executive producer on The Punisher and wrote four season 2 episodes. "Jon is near and dear to my heart," he said, acknowledging their shared history. "It was amazing to come back and get to work with him again."
"I feel that whenever Frank comes into the story, hijinks ensue, and in this story, that is very, very true," the showrunner continued. "He comes in for a very, very particular reason, he is brought in by a very, very particular person, and I think that it will be immensely satisfying — and a bit like, 'Oh, my God.'"
"Whenever you put Frank and Daredevil together, all bets are off. It’s a tornado. I mean, we broke some stuff!"
While Bernthal was always expected to return in Daredevil: Born Again, it was expected to be for little more than a one-episode cameo. Without getting into spoilers, the unhinged vigilante now has a great deal more to do thanks to that creative overhaul.
For a hint about what's to come, here's an excerpt from our review of Daredevil: Born Again season 1:
"Jon Bernthal’s return as The Punisher also warrants a special mention. Not only are his conversations with Daredevil remarkable but when Frank Castle is fully unleashed, nothing will prepare you for what comes next. Bernthal’s Punisher received a fair bit of the spotlight on Netflix but this trumps it all and his Special Presentation can’t get here soon enough. As much fun as it is to see Cox and D'Onofrio together, it's actually Cox and Bernthal who steal the show with a combative, odd friendship of sorts that's hugely beneficial to both characters."
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.
Daredevil: Born Again's first three episodes are now streaming on Disney+.