Born Again’ Showrunner Compares Show to HBO’s ‘The Penguin’

A direct continuation of the beloved Netflix series, Daredevil: Born Again will finally see the Man Without Fear back in New York City in his ever-lasting fight against crime and corruption. It’s been a long wait for diehard fans of the original show and the character, but every indication thus far points to a worthy follow-up that expands upon the world of Daredevil in the MCU. Although it has lofty expectations to live up, Daredevil: Born Again has also set its sights on surpassing another critically-acclaimed and award-winning series — The Penguin.

During an interview with SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar), Daredevil: Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane compared the upcoming Disney+ series to HBO’s hit drama The Penguin. Scardapane, who admits Born Again was conceived well before Penguin aired on television, says that his series will rival the tone of the DC show. Additionally, he tells audiences to expect Born Again to be “more grounded, even less stylized.” His words:

“It’s really strange. You work in a vacuum and then something else comes out and you go, ‘Oh, wow’. I would say in many ways ‘The Penguin’ is our direct competition. However, we’re even more grounded, even less stylized, even more rooted in the here and now. I loved Penguin. We’re a little faster, meaner, cleaner in our storytelling.”

Although Daredevil: Born Again will reportedly carry a more mature TV rating than the Netflix series, it will still have a tall task when comparing itself to The Penguin. Not only has HBO’s DC hit earned several major awards, including Colin Farrell winning Best Actor at the Golden Globes, but it was a no-holds-barred installment in Matt Reeves’ epic crime saga. From an exuberant number of f-bombs to heavy, mature themes, The Penguin was not only one of the best shows of 2024, but as much of a needle-mover for the genre that Netflix’s Daredevil was years ago.

How ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Differs From Netflix Series

The Penguin was not the only show to get compared to Daredevil: Born Again. Showrunner Dario Scardapane also told SFX Magazine that the new Disney+ series improves upon the original Netflix version in several key ways. One of which involves being a more hard-hitting, faster-paced series that includes fewer scenes of “two characters in a room talking about what a hero is.” His statement:

“At its worst, it was two characters in a room talking about what a hero is. I felt that had been done. I’m not taking swipes. I just didn’t want to hear characters grousing about their lot in life. I wanted to see them doing things.”

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It’s unclear if Scardapane is referring to moments like Punisher (Jon Bernthal) and Daredevil (Charlie Cox) discussing the morals of vigilantism in Season 2, arguably some of the most compelling work in the Netflix show. However, Daredevil: Born Again trimming down some of the slower parts of the original series could make for a legitimate improvement. The jury is still out if Born Again lives up to expectations, but Marvel Studios was already confident enough in the show to renew it for Season 2 well before it premieres on Disney+ later this March.