Daredevil: Born Again's Cast List May Reveal The End Of Of A Beloved Marvel Team

Preregistration documentation filed by Marvel ahead of work on "Daredevil: Born Again" may have revealed the end of a beloved fictional friendship in the MCU. While Marvel tries to keep spoilers as tightly controlled as possible, that doesn't supersede United States law, and a recent filing by the company with the U.S. Copyright Office included casting details about the series. The filing lists actor Nikki James as Kirsten McDuffie, adding weight to rumors that the upcoming Disney+ series is breaking up the law offices of Nelson and Murdock.

In the Netflix series, Matthew Murdock (Charlie Cox) worked alongside Franklin "Foggy" Nelson (Elden Henson), his friend from law school, with the two forming the legal firm Nelson and Murdock. Their friendship and partnership was a fan-favorite element of the now-defunct "Daredevil," as Foggy was able to be the cool voice of reason when Murdock was ready to breathe metaphorical hellfire. Even as Nelson and Murdock disbanded and Foggy took a job at a rival law firm, the two came together in their moments of need.

Marvel scooper canwegetsometoast has claimed on social media platforms that "Daredevil: Born Again" will see Murdock and McDuffie teaming up to form a new law firm called Murdock and Associates against a city backdrop where Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio) has possibly taken over as New York City's mayor. 

The Copyright Office filing appears to prove McDuffie will appear as a character, lending credence to that claim, especially since Kingpin is back in the MCU as of 2021's "Hawkeye." Although it means the loss of a beloved Marvel team, the Murdock-McDuffie partnership could open some fascinating plot possibilities from "Daredevil" comics.

With Nikki James likely to play Kirsten McDuffie in the upcoming "Daredevil: Born Again" on Disney+, it's possible that some threads from their history in Marvel Comics will be pulled onto the screen. The two have always had a friendly but competitive relationship, with McDuffie being the assistant district attorney in Manhattan. That role puts them on opposite sides of the courtroom since Murdock is a criminal defense attorney, but they develop a romantic connection nonetheless. McDuffie is also one of a small handful of characters ever to deduce Murdock's secret identity as Daredevil, and frequently pulled pranks on him in an attempt to make him admit it.

Daredevil's last MCU appearance was in "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law," which is set in Los Angeles. In the comics, Murdock eventually relocates to California, bringing McDuffie with him, where the two start their own law firm. If they'll be launching a similar partnership in the upcoming streaming series, it would make sense for him to stay out West. Although Murdock didn't plan on sticking around at the end of "She-Hulk," Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) and her family urged him to stay, so there's a chance he does just that.

Moreover, McDuffie's arrival may only signal a temporary break from Foggy Nelson's involvement in Daredevil's story. In the comics, specifically 2020's "Daredevil Vol 6 #22," McDuffie ends up partnering with Foggy to help acquit Murdock in a case, and "Daredevil: Born Again" might lay the groundwork for that to happen in live-action. Another detail from the comics that might tie into the series? Kingpin does become mayor of New York City.