Daredevil (2003)

In 1998, Kevin Smith, the renowned writer / director of "Clerks," "Chasing Amy" and "Dogma" – and a comic book aficionado – wrote another volume of Daredevil stories. Emphasizing themes of religion and morality, Smith’s mission was to present "a Daredevil you’ve never seen before: a hero who is about to learn that a man without fear is a man without faith … and a man without faith is easily unmade."

Ben Affleck, a frequent Smith collaborator and lifelong Daredevil fan, penned the introduction to the graphic novel Daredevil Visionaries, a collection of eight comic books written by Smith. "Matt Murdock lost Elektra to Bullseye when I was just twelve years old," Affleck writes. "That saga (now known famously to those in the comics world as the ‘Frank Miller Daredevils’) touched and moved me in ways I was then and still now am reluctant to admit, even to myself. I was fascinated by this man, this red-suited saint, who always seemed to end up a martyr. It was my own personal introduction into the world of personal ambiguity. It was a dark corner, a place where my sympathies were uncertain. It was a strange and wonderful place where true love was always tragic, heroes had a dark side, villains were roguishly likable and the best one could hope for was some sliver of redemption."

Years later, Affleck would don Daredevil’s red cowl for the first motion picture based on the comics he loved. Another of the film’s principals, writer / director Mark Steven Johnson, shared Affleck’s deep appreciation for the character and comics. As a ten-year-old boy growing up in a small town in Minnesota, Johnson could often be found waiting outside the store that sold his favorite comic books. "I read them all," Johnson recalls.

However, Johnson responded most to Daredevil. "I think it was because he was the only one who had a handicap, that made him unique to me," he explains. "What also sets Daredevil apart from other comic icons is that he’s a real guy with real problems. He doesn’t have the strength or web-spinning powers of Spider-Man, the brawn of The Hulk, or the healing powers of Wolverine. Daredevil is just a guy. If you shoot him he dies. His very humanity and flaws are the source of his moral dilemma. I’m reminded of the quote, ‘He who fights monsters might take care lest he become a monster.’ That’s what is happening to Matt Murdock. He’s realizing that he’s starting to become the thing that he’s sworn himself to protect against."

According to DAREDEVIL producer Gary Foster, Johnson was destined to direct the film. "Mark really understands the characters and the world in which he operates. He knows to the last detail what the world is supposed to feel look and sound like. He’s truly the creative force behind the film." (Kevin Smith, a frequent visitor to the set and cameo player agrees: "Mark is as passionate, if not more so, than anyone can be about making a Daredevil movie. He read all the important Daredevil work and not so important work – like mine – and he’s certainly not going to let any Daredevil fans down.")

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