Steven DeKnight says Netflix Daredevil could have been darker and more brutal

Former Daredevil showrunner Steven DeKnight says Netflix limited the series’ rating, preventing a darker tone

Former Daredevil showrunner Steven S. DeKnight has revealed that Netflix prevented the original Marvel series from receiving the darker, more mature rating he had hoped for.

Speaking exclusively to The Direct while attending the Spartacus: House of Ashur red carpet, DeKnight explained that the Netflix version of Daredevil was restricted by what he called “PG-16 handcuffs,” stopping the show from pushing its violence and adult themes further.

The original Daredevil series, which ran for three seasons on Netflix, earned a 16+ rating in the U.K., while Marvel Studios’ revival Daredevil: Born Again has been given a full 18+ rating. DeKnight noted that the Disney+ version of the character is allowed to go “much further,” praising Marvel Studios for embracing a more intense R-rated approach.

DeKnight also reflected on seeing Charlie Cox reprise the role in She-Hulk, saying that the more acrobatic fight sequences were exactly what he would have done if the Netflix budget had allowed it. He added that he is “delighted” Marvel and Disney+ were willing to commit fully to the darker tone in Born Again.

Interestingly, DeKnight’s new comments contradict a 2015 statement in which he told The Hollywood Reporter he did not want the original series to reach a full R-rating. Now, however, he suggests he would have preferred a more explicit and brutal version of the character’s world.

All three seasons of the original Daredevil are streaming on Disney+, while Daredevil: Born Again is set to release its second season in March 2026. Despite fan interest, DeKnight says he is currently committed to the Spartacus franchise and unlikely to return to the Man Without Fear’s story anytime soon.