Daredevil is a 2003 American superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson, based on the Marvel Comics character
of the same name created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett. The film stars Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights for justice in the courtroom and on the streets of New York as the masked vigilante Daredevil. Jennifer Garner plays his love interest Elektra Natchios; Colin Farrell plays the merciless assassin Bullseye; David Keith plays Jack "The Devil" Murdock, a washed up fighter and Matt's father; and Michael Clarke Duncan plays Wilson Fisk, the crime lord also known as the Kingpin.
The film began development in 1997 at 20th Century Fox and in 1999 transferred to Columbia Pictures, before New Regency acquired the rights to the character in 2000. Johnson shot the film primarily in Downtown Los Angeles despite the Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan setting of the film and comics. Rhythm and Hues Studios were hired to handle the film's CGI. Graeme Revell composed the score, which was released on CD in March 2003, whereas the various artists' soundtrack album, Daredevil: The Album, was released in February.
Daredevil was released in the United States on February 14, 2003, by 20th Century Fox. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise aimed at the action sequences, acting performances, soundtrack, storyline, visual style, and stunts, but criticism for its perceived lack of ambition, while they were divided on Affleck's performance. Nevertheless, the film became the second-biggest February release to that time and went on to a worldwide total gross of $179.2 million against a production budget of $78 million.
In 2004, a R-rated director's cut of Daredevil was released, reincorporating approximately 30 minutes of the film, and reviews were more positive than for the theatrical version. A spin-off film, Elektra, was released in 2005 to critical and commercial failure. The rights to the character eventually reverted back to Marvel, who rebooted him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Charlie Cox in the role, starting with the self-titled Netflix television series. Garner is set to reprise her role as Elektra in the MCU film Deadpool 3 (2024) which deals with the concept of the multiverse.
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