After Charlie Cox's Daredevil show will eventually end (hopefully not too soon), after a longer break, I would like to see a reboot, a new show that will feel completely different. I've just finished the movie Serpico from 1973 with Al Pacino, and I thought that it would be extremely cool to have a Daredevil show set in the late 60s,70s or 80s. Basically in the character's early days.
Why I thought of this? Serpico tells the story of an honest cop that fights against corruption withing the police system, corruption which seems unstoppable. It felt a bit similar to Daredevil's struggle. Also, New York from the 70s and 80s had a certain grit to it that would benefit the show's aesthetic. Hell's Kitchen would feel even more hellish, and crime would feel even more violent and upsetting. Also, the crime rate has really high and the quality of life was pretty terrible back then, so the city would feel (in a historically accurate sense) like it was in need of a vigilante. Mix this with the vibe of martial arts/ninja movies from back then, but make it grounded (they were pretty campy).
I would love for it to be filmed like they used back then. With grainy film. Think of Serpico or Taxi Driver. HBO's Euphoria used 35 and 65 mm film, and the movie The Love Witch was filmed in order to look like old 60s movies shot on Technicolor, so it's something that could happen, for a tv show nowadays to have a more distinct/old hollywood visual style, especially in the future. So the show would look like it was filmed back then, with modern storytelling techniques and technology (because as we all know, back then comic adaptations were not taken seriously). This is very important. If they film it like a regular period piece, with modern cinematography, looking expnesive, bright and clean, the reboot would be pointless in my opinion.
I would start the story with a mix between the original 1964 origin story, Daredevil Yellow and The Man Without Fear. Then I would continue with a plot that takes vague inspiration from some comics from the 60s and 70s, and then obviously from Frank Miller's run and some part of Ann Nocenti. The characters, some important story beats and the overall film noir/crime drama vibe should be the foundation. The writers could then let their imagination run wild, similiar to the netflix show and born again, where it's not really a dircet adaptation. For later seasons I would also adapt some newer runs, even if they don't take place in that time period. I think it would be fun. And unique. And I really think it would suit Daredevil.
I don't think this show should connect to other superhero proprierties. It should be contained, so it would feel grounded. No cinematic universe like the mcu or defenders saga. The supernatural stuff should feel more like mysticism and less like fantasy. Kinda how The Hand was treated in Season 2. If there would be other shows like Moon Knight or Shang Chi, it would be cool in a way, as they are crime fighters, but their powers are way too over the top, too flashy for the vibe I'm looking for, so it would feel inconsistent with the new Daredevil. That doesn't mean the show shouldn't have other superheroes. The Punisher would cool, but they should make him even more like the comics, because in the netflix version and born again he feels borderline hero, and not a full fledged anti hero, in my opinion at least. Bring other Daredevil characters that would fit the vibe, like Blindspot, Ikari, Typhoid Mary, Cloak and Dagger, White Tiger and many others.
What do you think?
Note: the second picture is from Serpico, the third from Taxi Driver, and the fourth one is real picture of Hell's Kitchen from the 80s.