The early 2000s was a strange time for the superhero genre, with the dual-pronged success of Bryan Singer’s X-Men and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man causing a domino effect that saw virtually every recognizable costumed crimefighter plunged into active development as soon as possible, with 2003’s Daredevil endemic of the growing pains.
Sure, it boasted a recognizable and proven star in Ben Affleck – bolstered by a solid supporting cast that mixed established names and veteran character actors with fast-rising talents like Jennifer Garner and Colin Farrell – but it hardly set either the critical or commercial spheres alight in the way it was supposed to.
A 43 percent Rotten Tomatoes approval rating and a $179 million haul at the box office against a $78 million budget was almost the very definition of “meh,” but it was what happened after that cemented Daredevil‘s fascinating legacy. The planned sequel was scrapped, the markedly superior Director’s Cut was released on home video, and Garner’s contractually-obligated spin-off Elektra netted 11 percent on Rotten Tomatoes to secure an unwanted reputation as Marvel’s worst-ever offshoot, as well as one of the most heavily-panned comic book adaptations of all-time.
There’s nothing like the warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia to stir up renewed interest, though, with FlixPatrol revealing Daredevil to be one of the most-watched features on Netflix this week. Incredibly, the story isn’t even over with Garner confirmed to be reprising her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Deadpool 3, and there’s even rumors that Affleck will be coming along for the ride, too.