Matt Murdock’s going to be in a dark place in Daredevil‘s upcoming third season and, to reflect that, he’ll switch back from his iconic red superhero suit to the makeshift black outfit he wore for the stretch of season 1, when he was just the mysterious Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.
While speaking to Collider, star Charlie Cox opened up about why this change has come about for Matt as a person, and why it was important for him to understand why the character had decided to freshen up his wardrobe.
“The thing with the costume has always been, for me, it sounds silly, but I really need to feel like, from a story point of view, it makes sense and it’s in keeping with the genre and the tone of the show.”
He went on to say that he was a fan of how the red suit came about at the end of season 2 and what that meant for Matt’s ascent to heroism.
“So the way we transitioned into the red costume at the end of season one, the thing that really sold it for me was the conversation Matt had with Father Lantom, where he says, ‘Sometimes it’s important for there to be a symbol to be feared by people.’ It keeps them in check, it allows them to remember why they behave in a moral way. That was the impetus for Matt to go and embrace this symbol, this iconic red suit.”
As for why the black suit makes a return, Cox explains that he thinks Murdock believes he’s no longer worthy of being the heroic symbol that Daredevil is, so he goes back to being a simple masked man. Plus, he teases that there’s a more practical reason why the red suit is off the table.
“It’s not explicit, but my understanding of it is clear. Matt, for various reasons, no longer feels like he is deserving of it. It’s almost like he’s lost that privilege. And also that he is, in some ways, outgrown what it stood for. There’s also another reason why he cannot, literally can not wear the suit.”
When we last saw Matt, he was recovering from his near-death experience in a convent at the end of The Defenders. According to Cox, his recent experiences have tested both Murdock’s Catholic faith – he now views God as “quite cynical” and “almost vindictive” – but also his faith in his himself. Cox believes that Murdock’s changed from “believing that he was Matt Murdock with this alter ego of Daredevil, to believing he’s Daredevil with a lie of Matt Murdock.”
This is something that was teased in the ominous season 3 teaser that played as a post-credits scene for Iron Fist season 2. Cox finished up by saying his character’s new attitude makes him a lot more reckless, as he doesn’t believe he has to protect his secret identity and everyday life anymore.
“It’s a very subtle shift but mentally it does some interesting things. It makes him a little bit more reckless early on, which is fun. He’s less concerned with being caught. There are scenes where I feel like there’s almost like an enjoyment to the recklessness of it all.”
We’ll find out exactly what drives Matt Murdock to go back to black when Daredevil season 3 arrives on Netflix on October 19th.