Charlie Cox Reveals What He Really Thinks of Ben Affleck’s Daredevil

Let's talk Daredevil: not the Netflix brooding hallway fight variety (though that guy is involved), but the 2003 Ben Affleck version that practically defined awkward early-2000s superhero attempts. Turns out, Charlie Cox—the current man in the horns for the MCU and Daredevil: Born Again—has some pretty candid thoughts about his predecessor. And honestly, he's a lot kinder than the internet usually is.

Charlie Cox on Affleck's Daredevil: A Mix of Love and Cringe

In a recent chat with Josh Horowitz, Cox was asked point-blank what he thought of Affleck's turn as Matt Murdock. His answer, direct quote:

"I like it. I'm not saying I like him. I'm a massive Ben Affleck fan. Yeah. And I think he's awesome and tremendous."

So, Cox — ever the diplomat — really does like Affleck in the role. (And to be fair, Affleck is one of those actors who seems way more serious about his craft than people admit.) But when it comes to the rest of the 2003 movie? Cox kind of can't keep a straight face.

What Went Wrong? Cox Spells It Out

This is where things get good. Cox gives a quick, brutal summary of why the 2003 movie didn't click for most people:

• Too much, too soon with the CGI. As Cox put it, the folks making the movie seemed excited that computer effects were even a thing, so they just "made a movie with it"—before it was really ready for prime time.
• Trying to cram every Daredevil story into one movie. Cox says they tried to squeeze the entire Daredevil comic anthology into two hours, which basically nobody has ever pulled off successfully.

And yet, in true British fashion, Cox says there are "moments in it that are iconic" and doubles down: he really does love Affleck.

The Convention Confusion: Cox Gets the Affleck Treatment

Here's the part I found genuinely hilarious. Cox tells a story about a Comic-Con signing where fans kept bringing him photos from the 2003 movie, asking for his autograph. At first, he thought people were trolling him. But after it kept happening, he discovered the real reason: the event staff accidentally put a picture of Cox on the wrong table, so a bunch of Affleck era Daredevil fans ended up in Cox's line.

So now, somewhere out there, plenty of Ben Affleck Daredevil costumes and movie shots are autographed by the other Daredevil. Movie multiverse confirmed, I guess.

Cox Moves Forward as Marvel's Daredevil

These days, Charlie Cox is pretty firmly entrenched as the MCU's guy, now officially kicking people through glass in Daredevil: Born Again. Both Season 1 and 2 are up for streaming on Disney+ if you need your fix of gritty Hell's Kitchen lawyering — with way better CGI, thankfully.