Before Charlie Cox started swinging through the streets of Hell’s Kitchen for Marvel’s Daredevil, Ben Affleck suited up as the Man Without Fear for the studio’s previous attempt at bringing the horned hero to movie fans. The 2003 movie garnered mixed reviews from fans and critics, setting Daredevil back in Marvel’s list of superheroes to prioritize for future projects. Despite the film’s lukewarm reception, two prominent actors wanted to join the production. Those two actors are Seth Rogen and Edward Norton. While you’re contemplating a world where either of these actors stars in 2003’s Daredevil, I’ll unpack the details of what could have been.
Speaking with Yahoo, Daredevil director Mark Steven Johnson explained that the studio wanted big names for the film. Daredevil was relatively unknown to the general public then, so Marvel wanted star power to elevate the character and put asses in seats.
“Yes, they definitely wanted a star because the character was so unknown and they felt it needed the help of a star,” Johnson said. “The budget was around $75 million, which was a good-sized budget back then, though by today’s standards it’s more like an independent film! So there was a lot of pressure, and they wanted a name.”
In addition to Rogen and Norton, Guy Pearce and Matt Damon were approached for the Daredevil role. Both actors passed on the opportunity, leaving the door open for Ben Affleck to come swooping in.
“It was definitely one of those roles where everyone was being mentioned. There were a lot of people in the mix,” Johnson said. “I don’t remember if I met with Guy, but I did meet with Edward Norton. I also remember Seth Rogen coming in to read for Foggy Nelson. He was so funny, and we loved him, but I was also like: ‘Dude, how old are you?’ He was probably 21 or 22 at the time — way too young to be a lawyer! I met with a couple of other actors, too, but Ben was a fan of Daredevil because of Kevin Smith, so it ended up being him. And then he became Batman!”
Did Pearce and Damon dodge a bullet by ditching the Daredevil movie? Do you think Damon staged a “come to Jesus” moment after hearing his friend, Ben Affleck, signed on for the role? Despite his age, I believe Rogen could have been a decent Foggy, though I’m not sure Rogen’s signature laugh would have done the character any justice. Thankfully, Affleck’s Daredevil is a thing of the past, and we can rest knowing Charlie Cox is joining the MCU for the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again.