Charlie Cox is back as the Man Without Fear in Daredevil: Born Again, but his parents nearly missed the memo—by about 22 years. During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the Marvel star shared a laugh-out-loud story about his parents accidentally watching Ben Affleck’s 2003 Daredevil movie instead of Cox’s new Disney+ series. The mix-up led to some bewildered phone calls and a priceless reaction that’s got Marvel fans buzzing.
A Streaming Snafu for the Ages
Cox, who’s been filming Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, recounted the saga of setting up his parents’ Disney+ account so they could watch his latest MCU adventure. “It took roughly five hours,” he joked, poking fun at the universal struggle of teaching parents to navigate streaming platforms. When they finally got it working, Cox expected glowing reviews. Instead, he got confusion. “They said, ‘Yeah, good! Very good. Quite similar to the original show,’” Cox recalled, mimicking their muted response. “I went, ‘What? How?’”
The plot thickened when his parents mentioned “the bit with the backstory and your dad.” Sensing something was off, Cox probed further. Twenty minutes later, they called back, exasperated. “This can’t be right!” they said. “Doesn’t even look like you!” Cox’s response? “Right, that is Ben Affleck.” Yes, in a classic case of streaming roulette, his parents had fired up the 2003 Daredevil film, starring Affleck as Matt Murdock, instead of Daredevil: Born Again.
Third Time’s the Charm
Thankfully, Cox steered his parents to the right show, and they were “very pleased” with Daredevil: Born Again, which follows Matt Murdock’s return as Hell’s Kitchen’s vigilante after the tragic loss of Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson). The first season is now streaming on Disney+, packed with returning stars like Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin and Jon Bernthal as The Punisher.
The anecdote, shared widely on X, has fans in stitches. Posts like “Charlie Cox’s parents watching Ben Affleck’s Daredevil by mistake is peak parent behavior” and “Imagine their faces when they saw that suit” capture the hilarity. Others noted the irony, given Cox’s past critiques of the 2003 film, with one user quipping, “His parents accidentally watched the movie Charlie said ‘sucks’!”
Cox vs. Affleck’s Daredevil: A Complicated History
Cox has been diplomatic but candid about the Affleck-led Daredevil, which earned mixed reviews and a 44% Rotten Tomatoes score. At 2022’s Middle East Film & Comic Con, he praised Affleck’s Matt Murdock, saying, “I like his Matt Murdock,” but called the film “tonally confused” and criticized its glossy red leather suit, bluntly stating, “The suit sucks!” He’s also noted the movie tried to cram in too many characters—Kingpin, Bullseye, Elektra, Foggy, and Karen Page—making it feel “saturated” for a two-hour runtime.
Interestingly, Cox admitted to Comic Book that he “stole a lot” from Affleck’s performance, particularly for his own take on Matt Murdock’s darker, more mature tone, which helped his Netflix Daredevil series (2015-2018) earn critical acclaim. Affleck, meanwhile, hasn’t held back on his own disappointment, telling Entertainment Weekly in 2015 that the film “didn’t work at all” and lamenting its cynical approach to superhero storytelling.
Why This Matters for Marvel Fans
The mix-up is more than just a funny family story—it underscores Daredevil’s layered legacy. Affleck’s film, despite its flaws, was a bold early-2000s superhero flick, paving the way for Cox’s grittier, more grounded take. With Daredevil: Born Again now a cornerstone of the MCU’s street-level stories, Cox’s anecdote bridges the gap between the franchise’s past and present.
You can stream Daredevil: Born Again and the original Netflix series on Disney+ ($7.99/month). The 2003 Daredevil is also available there, but maybe double-check before hitting play. What’s your take on Cox’s story? Have your parents ever pulled a similar streaming blunder? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
