As the Kingpin conflict heats up in Daredevil: Born Again, the Disney+ series might be teasing that other members of the Defenders will return in Season 2.
Charlie Cox's Daredevil was the first of Netflix's Defenders heroes to return under Marvel Studios in 2021, followed most recently by Jon Bernthal's Punisher. But for now, the other leading streaming heroes of Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones, Mike Colter's Luke Cage, and Finn Jones' Iron Fist remain absent (for now).
Warning - The rest of this article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again.
As Matt Murdock felt increasingly defeated by Kingpin's towering grasp over New York City and the legions he commanded at Red Hook, he declared to Karen Paige that they are "gonna take this city back" and "need an army" to do it.
Masked as Daredevil, Matt assembles the first members of his army at Josie's Bar with Detective Angie Kim, former cop Cherry, and a few other officers. But with such a towering mission at taking on Mayor Wilson Fisk's Anti-Vigilante Taskforce, he will need a much more stacked lineup to help him.
The Born Again tease follows recent reports that "the Defenders are expected to return" in Season 2, which is expected to premiere in 2026. The Disney+ series could reunite Charlie Cox's Daredevil with Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones, Mike Colter's Luke Cage, Finn Jones' Iron Fist, and other Netflix heroes.
There has been plenty of speculation that other Defenders who appeared in Netflix will return in Born Again, and this tease seems to bring that one step closer to finally becoming a reality in the Disney+ series' sophomore outing.
Some may be aware that Jessica Jones reportedly almost returned in Born Again until her planned role was replaced with Jon Bernthal's Punisher. If Marvel Studios was already interested in bringing her back to the MCU, an imminent team-up of vigilantes and street-level heroes offers a prime opportunity.
Which Heroes Will Return in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2?
Fans can be hopeful that Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist will return in Season 2, along with more from The Punisher. Perhaps they will bring along other Netflix icons, such as Colleen Wing and Misty Knight, to help out.
Currently, The Punisher is held captive in Kingpin's at Red Hook, as is Tony Dalton's Swordsman, who first appeared in Hawkeye. As the mid-credit scene teased Frank Castle's imminent escape, both are bound to be freed soon to join Matt Murdock's new army alongside other vigilantes.
The MCU does have more vigilantes roaming around who could join the effort to take on Kingpin in Daredevil's next season. The most obvious are Alaqua Cox's Echo, Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop, and Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton, as all three have a history with Wilson Fisk on Disney+ across Hawkeye and Echo.
While many will be holding out hope for Tom Holland's Spider-Man to be part of the new Kingpin resistance, that seems doubtful for now. The wall-crawler's rights remain firmly at Sony Pictures, so Marvel Studios is limited in its Spider-Man usage. It's unlikely a deal will be worked out to include him in a Disney+ series.
That said, Spider-Man was referenced earlier this season on Born Again, so even while next year's Spider-Man: Brand New Day will likely have its own threat, the ramifications of Kingpin's actions could be felt somewhat in that movie.
After killing off Hector Ayala in Season 1, some have theorized a new, younger White Tiger could take the mantle in the future. As Hector's niece Angela Del Toro will undoubtedly be eager to avenge her uncle's death due to Kingin's regime, perhaps she will wear his mystical amulet and join the fight too.
Regardless of what other heroes may enter the fray, it's important to remember that Born Again will remain, first and foremost, a Daredevil story. But bringing these heroes back into the MCU fold will open the doors for more of them in the future, such as The Punisher, who is already getting his own Disney+ special.
