While the recent announcement of a new Daredevil series coming to Disney+ is surely exciting, it also brings forth the question of how Matt Murdock and his supporting characters will be integrated into a Marvel Cinematic Universe vastly different from the one they were last seen in. Since the conclusion of Netflix's Daredevil series, new heroes have debuted. More importantly, the entire status quo in the MCU has shifted dramatically since Daredevil's last showing as the lead of his own series. The reintroduction of Daredevil at this point in time could provide the unique opportunity to further assimilate the character into the MCU while drawing influence from a Marvel Comics storyline called "Shadowland" that utilizes The Defenders heroes and several newer heroes who have appeared in recent content produced by Marvel Studios.
The events of the "Shadowland" storyline, while difficult to adapt perfectly, would serve to unite various recent characters through Daredevil's MCU revival. A dedicated tier of street-level heroes had been shown temporarily in The Defenders miniseries, but as the Marvel deal with Netflix ended, the future of this area in the MCU was left up for debate for several years' time. After the finale of The Infinity Saga, subsequent television and film releases revealed that the Avengers-level threat of Thanos finally being defeated didn't fix everything.
As seen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Hawkeye on Disney+, the consequences of The Snap still reverberate throughout the world. The seemingly minor threats that any Avenger might not have concerned themselves with before have amounted to dangerous situations for the civilians they vow to protect. As New York City is somewhat of a ground zero for the MCU, a major threat that isn't of the apocalyptic variety might be what's needed to unite the city dwelling heroes who otherwise couldn't stand up to the more powerful enemies the Avengers have faced. With a new generation of Marvel heroes rising, these developments could set the stage for "Shadowland" to be adapted and result in the street-level corner of the MCU on Disney+ becoming its own overarching saga.
With the confirmation that the Disney+ revival continues on from the Netflix series, fans will keep theorizing about what Daredevil's next story will entail and if prior The Defenders characters could turn up. Marvel fans were treated to a surprise with Kingpin's cameo in Hawkeye and Matt Murdock briefly appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Not only did this confirm the continued presence of the respective actors who portrayed the roles, it also began debates on how the original story of Daredevil on Netflix would coexist with what's transpired in the MCU. The final season of the series ended with the hero victorious over Kingpin and a tease of one character's evolution into the iconic villain Bullseye.
However, the cameos didn't detail what had happened to the characters in the years since their last encounter with one another. More than the characters themselves though, their shared home of New York City has undergone massive changes since Daredevil was last seen patrolling the rooftops of Hell's Kitchen. Among them is an influx of new heroes, many of which are major players in "Shadowland," who can tie together their own stories and that of Daredevil in his new series.
The 2010 storyline written by Andy Diggle prominently featured characters that are currently active in the MCU with the likes of Spider-Man, Shang-Chi and Moon Knight taking part. The MCU counterparts of Moon Knight and Shang-Chi aren't native to New York, but both of them moving there in a future appearance wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility as they've done so in the comics. Moon Knight's modus operandi being the avatar of Khonshu is to protect the innocent and bring the Egyptian Moon god's vengeance down on those who hurt them, which could draw him to New York. Similarly, Shang-Chi's new affiliation with the Avengers while they investigate the ancient ten rings might require relocating to the city as various Avengers are often residing there. In the closing moments of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker dedicates himself to being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and seems poised to tackle the local threats in New York that require a hero with an ear close to the ground.
While the events of "Shadowland" provide a threat that would unite the aforementioned characters and Daredevil, the adapted story on Disney+ would need several characters from The Defenders to reemerge in the MCU. Fans have wondered how reboots would play out for Luke Cage, Iron Fist or the Punisher, however there's no indication as of now that any of them will appear in the near future. A new Daredevil series could also pave the way to bring back Misty Knight and Colleen Wing, who were supporting characters in The Defenders. Daredevil is familiar with these characters from their joint adventures in The Defenders, and to see them interact again would build off the dynamics already established in their last meeting.
All the aforementioned characters are seemingly in limbo now when it comes to their place in the MCU and are primed for big returns if the story calls for it. "Shadowland" accomplishes this, as most of these street-level characters come together to confront a single enemy threatening New York City: Daredevil. Adapting "Shadowland" as the story for the new Daredevil series would be a bold creative direction that has the potential to make the entire MCU feel more cohesive. The next appearance of these and the other established MCU characters being in Daredevil would do more than excite longtime fans. If executed correctly, a "Shadowland" adaption for The Man Without Fear's first foray into a Disney+ series would strengthen the MCU and the characters involved.
All three seasons of Netflix's Daredevil, as well as The Defenders, are available to stream on Disney+.