Matthew Lillard Opens Up About Playing an Original MCU Character in DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN
Marvel Studios is gearing up for another brutal showdown in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, and things in New York City are about to get even more intense.
With Matt Murdock facing off against Mayor Wilson Fisk for control of the city, the battlefield isn’t just Hell’s Kitchen rooftops anymore. Politics, power plays, and international chess moves are entering the mix, and right in the middle of it all is a new wildcard played by Matthew Lillard.
We already know that Matt Murdock, played by Charlie Cox, is heading into open conflict with Wilson Fisk, portrayed once again by Vincent D’Onofrio. Jessica Jones, played by Krysten Ritter, and Jack Duquesne, aka Swordsman, played by Tony Dalton, will also be jumping in on the fight.
But Season 2 is also introducing fresh faces, including Lili Taylor as Marge McCaffrey, the governor of New York, and Lillard as the mysterious “Mr. Charles.”
Lillard’s character has been described as a “power player” who starts interfering with Kingpin’s operations in the arenas of politics and international diplomacy. That’s a pretty big sandbox for the MCU. Naturally, fans are wondering who Mr. Charles really is.
As of now, Mr. Charles appears to be an original character created specifically for the MCU. Think along the lines of Agent Phil Coulson. A new name with the potential to become something major.
While speaking with ComicBook, Lillard was asked whether creating a character from scratch in a franchise as massive as the MCU feels like pressure.
He responded: “No, it doesn’t. I mean, it didn’t really. It’s irrelevant to me in terms of where he comes or how he comes into the game. Sure. Listen, don’t get me wrong, either the MCU or DC universe, I would love to play a character that everyone knows and loves.”
He went on to say, “There’s something really great about playing a William Afton-like character [villain of the horror-gaming film Five Nights at Freddy’s] that comes with weight that you can build on, fan expectations that you can fulfill… these hopes and dreams of fans,” he continued.
“Like, I would love to play something like Shaggy [from the Scooby Doo live-action movies]. Same thing. Like you’re stepping into something that has relevance, that has a tapestry to pull on. That makes it fun as an actor. So not having that also doesn’t bother me because you just fill it out yourself.”
Lillard knows what it’s like to carry legacy characters. He understands the weight of fan expectations. But stepping into uncharted territory doesn’t intimidate him. If anything, it gives him freedom.
Of course, Marvel fans aren’t buying “Mr. Charles” at face value just yet.
The MCU is filled with global organizations that could have a serious issue with Fisk tightening his grip on New York. Some speculate Mr. Charles could represent a corporation like Roxxon. Others think he might be tied to something much darker, possibly serving as a public-facing operative for The Hand.
The Netflix-era Marvel shows established The Hand as an international network with five ruling “fingers,” including Sigourney Weaver’s Alexandra in The Defenders.
There have even been rumblings that a potential third season of Daredevil: Born Again could revisit unfinished threads from The Defenders and bring The Hand back into play. If that’s the case, Mr. Charles may be laying the groundwork.
Then again, Marvel has surprised us before by casting high-profile actors in roles that are exactly what they seem. Not every new character hides a secret identity.
Whether Mr. Charles is a corporate shark, a secret Hand operative, or something completely different, Lillard seems ready to carve out his own space in the MCU. And if he brings even half the chaotic energy he’s known for, fans are going to love it.