The season three trailer for Netflix’s Daredevil dropped last week, and the Marvel series will get pretty dark this year, especially with Fisk out of prison. But we had no idea just how dark.
During a New York Comic Con panel, the show’s cast and crew revealed what moderator Jeph Loeb called the “worst kept secret in the history of Marvel:” the second Daredevil (who appears around the two-minute mark in the trailer) is none other than Benjamin Poindexter, aka Bullseye. This season, Loeb confirmed, will double as an origin story for the infamous Marvel villain, known for his deadly aim. The character, played by Wilson Bethel, was credited as “FBI Agent 2” until the official announcement.
“It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life, having this opportunity to tell the story of how Benjamin Poindexter will ultimately become Bullseye,” Bethel said, as Charlie Cox ran over and drew a bullseye on his forehead with black marker.
Fans were treated to an exclusive viewing of the full scene in which Matt Murdock meets the man who will become Bullseye. Poindexter, dressed in the Daredevil costume, tries to attack Foggy in the Bulletin office. Murdock, wearing the season one black mask outfit that he seems to prefer this season, saves Foggy and proceeds to take on Poindexter. The two go at it, but Murdock struggles to hold his own as Poindexter transforms office supplies into ricocheting weapons of destruction. Spoiler alert: the fight does not end well for Matt.
New show runner Erik Oleson said this was part of his vision for the series. “I wanted the action sequences of season three to have real emotional stakes…” he said. “I wanted Matt Murdock to occasionally lose a fight and for there to be real consequences when that happens.”
While there’s a lot of emotion to unpack, Oleson also teased some epic fight scenes, including one he claims will top the fan-favorite hallway fight scene from season one.
Another part of Oleson’s vision for the season included “a story structure in which every single character … plays an integral part. You can’t cut out a single story line without it all falling apart.” That seems to ring especially true for Karen and Foggy at the beginning, as they each try to come to grips with Matt being dead (as far as they know). In another exclusive scene, fans saw Karen confront Foggy after hearing reports of a man in a black mask, who she’s sure must be Matt. Foggy refuses to believe it could be him, telling Karen that Matt would have reached out to them if he hadn’t actually died. Karen isn’t as sure, pointing out that Foggy keeps saying Matt is “gone,” not that he is “dead.”
“I think, considering how things were left between Karen and Matt in season two and The Defenders, there’s a lot of guilt there…” said Deborah Ann Woll, who plays Karen. “With Foggy off living his fabulous life, I think I felt really adrift. And if I allowed myself to believe that [Matt] was gone, there would just be nothing.”
According to new cast member Jay Ali, who plays the FBI agent assigned to Fisk, the whole season revolves around the choice between good and evil. “I think all of the characters this season get to a point where they have to make a choice,” he said, “whether they give into the darkness or stay in the light.”
To find out which characters choose the light, to see the origin of Bullseye, and to watch some epic fight sequences, catch season three of Daredevil when it drops on Netflix October 19.
