The X-Men Aren't The Best Thing About Marvel's MCU Future - Daredevil Is

With the rumored Wolverine connection in "Captain America: Brave New World," Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) already revealed to be carrying the mutant gene, and Beast (Kelsey Grammar) popping in for a computer generated post-credit scene in "The Marvels," X really does mark the spot regarding the Marvel Cinematic Universe's future. First steps of the Fantastic Four and Stark doppelgangers of Doom aside, the mutants will undoubtedly be making a big move into the MCU, but it's not the spread of homo superiors we should be interested in. Instead, it's the lower-level hero that may hold the key to expanding the franchise in ways that could prove far more beneficial in the long run.

Charlie Cox's highly anticipated return as the Man Without Fear, aka Matt Murdock, is set to dish out a host of bloody-knuckled justice on "Daredevil: Born Again." Following some sterling footage that left D23 attendees aghast, rumors have stumbled through the alleys of Hell's Kitchen about what kind of role the ol' horn-head will have in the MCU. It's this and other elements that the upcoming show could bring to the table that might not only change the franchise's trajectory, but should make Charlie Cox's beloved vigilante a well-deserved bigger piece in the MCU on par with a former billionaire playboy philanthropist, topping a team of super mutants in the process.

When Charlie Cox first put on the black balaclava and started smashing goons' heads against shipping containers, Netflix's "Daredevil" skirted alongside the MCU rather than get in the thick of it. Nevertheless, it set up Matt Murdock as the street-level Tony Stark, jumping over rooftops and leading us down gritty and truly grown-up alleys, getting us acquainted with Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, the Punisher," and Iron Fist. Now, reports suggest that Cox's crimson hero could be performing similar duties, which in turn could and absolutely should fill in the gap that's been left by Robert Downey Jr's founding Avengers member.

According to Cosmic Marvel, "Marvel Studios reportedly wants to use Charlie Cox's Daredevil as a gateway to new stories for the street superheroes in the MCU" and that "There [are] ideas for Matt to interact with other heroes, like Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight and Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova." Let him! Eventually, the MCU is going to be overrun with masters of magnetism making themselves known and Kamala Khan acting as our entry point into the massive world of mutants. Leave Murdock to act as the middleman for everyone else. A comic book consigliere of sorts setting the bar for more refined and unflinchingly raw superhero stories, while also lining up chapters that would tackle small street-level stories where the money is on the writing more than anything else.

When mutant adventures come our way, the project's price tags might match the rental price of Avengers Tower. Such expenses really are inevitable, given that the X-Men stories are often crossing space and time while Daredevil isn't. Busy cracking down on kingpins and assassins bent on burning Hell's Kitchen to the ground, narratives that keep to the confines of the devil's domain could mean that they won't need to come with such a big charge. When Charlie Cox's crimefighter first descended on Netflix, an average episode cost $3.3 million and the became a huge hit. "Born Again" keeping to that following its highly publicised reworking could do the same and prove that mad money isn't needed for quality Marvel stories.

After slip-ups like "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" and "The Marvels," staying on the streets, at least for Marvel Television, could be a trial run worth taking in terms of spending. Factor in that Murdock might meet the likes of the new Black Widow and Moon Knight, and their solo stories could ensure that the characters get the right amount of cash splashed on them while the bigger bucks are thrown at the X-Men. More importantly, with these potential plots hitting harder with the subject matter they'd be focusing on, it could tee up Marvel to lead into an area they've already teased thanks to "Deadpool & Wolverine" –- a solid R-rated tale.

"Echo" may have been Marvel's first "mature" story (with Daredevil himself swinging in a few punches to help it get there), but what audiences really wanted was the level provided by Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) and Logan (Hugh Jackman). "Deadpool & Wolverine" was an R-rated level risk, but one that blew everyone away at the box office, proving that the MCU could really spill blood, fill swear jars, and draw an audience in regardless. Why couldn't the same work for low-level, rough around the edges day-savers, while the inevitable flurry of family friendly mutant groups are waiting in the wings.

We know that Matt Murdock's return is going to bump up the brutality with Kingpin himself, Vincent D'Onoforio, promising Rotten Tomatoes that "we go much further than the original show." With that standard set, give Yelena a harder-hitting spy story to run around in once a week, or Moon Knight a more psychologically disturbing journey to go on. Seeing heroes head into grittier gray areas that Marvel has only skimmed over is what the franchise needs, and Matt Murdock would make for the perfect subject to start things off, testing his moral compass just as it was on "Daredevil" Season 2. The difference here is that the MCU could provide a harder trial for our hero and take us into fresh territory by really bringing the devil out.

As is always the case with the X-Men, the line between right and wrong will blur courtesy of two of its leading forces, Charles Xavier and Magneto. These characters have had their views tested for decades (as shown on the awesome "X-Men '97"), but might be a long way off in the MCU. With time to wait for that complicated conflict, why not have Matt Murdock not only step in as the MCU's middle man, but throw the universe a curveball and have Daredevil fumble into darkness himself.

Two particular events in Daredevil history stand out that could make for great major events in the MCU: "Shadowland" and "The Red Fist Saga." Both stories see Matt apply a more stern and severe form of justice to those he believes need it, leading to conflicts with the likes of Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Moon Knight, and even Captain America. Granted, one instance is the result of him being possessed by a demon (and getting a black suit to boot), but this is the kind of fall from grace that could make for a far more compelling watch than say, an iconic villain like Doctor Doom debuting as a Tony Stark doppelganger. It's this, along with the down-in-the-dirt level vigilantes that Daredevil will bring along with him, that make for a far more interesting era than the X-Men might deliver. Come on Marvel, do as the devil does and don't be afraid.