Daredevil: Born Again Drops Punisher–Echo Episode

A planned “bottle episode” pairing Jon Bernthal’s Punisher with Alaqua Cox’s Echo was abandoned during a mid‑production creative overhaul of Daredevil: Born Again. The reset — prompted in part by pauses during the strikes and a studio reassessment — brought in new leadership (showrunner Dario Scardapane and directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead), reworked episodes, and a shift to darker, more action‑oriented storytelling. That shake‑up reduced the focus on newer characters like Echo while keeping the Punisher in MCU plans, including a Disney+ special and an appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Vincent D’Onofrio and Charlie Cox say they helped drive the push to rethink the series away from a lighter, procedural tone. Season 2 is scheduled for March 2026 with Cox and D’Onofrio returning and Krysten Ritter also confirmed to reprise her role, and a third season is already in development. Critics have noted season 1’s unevenness reflects footage from both creative teams.