Matthew Lillard Cast as Mr. Fear in Daredevil: Born Again

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In just a few days, “Daredevil: Born Again” will debut on Disney+ for subscription holders as part of the 2025 TV lineup. Fans can rest easy knowing that this isn’t a one-time appearance like “WandaVision”, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”, or “Echo”, among others. In fact, Marvel’s upcoming series has already been planned for a second season consisting of nine episodes, with filming set to begin soon. Today, we learned that Matthew Millard has been cast for future episodes of “Born Again”. And I can’t help but speculate who he might be playing in the show.

To begin with, news about Damon Lillard’s role in the movie “Born Again” has surfaced from Deadline, yet specifics regarding his character remain undisclosed. This announcement follows a month after it was disclosed that he would feature in “Scream 7” alongside Scott Foley. In “Scream 7,” both actors portray deceased characters who donned the Ghostface costume and killed people, but Lillard is skillfully avoiding spoilers about his comeback to the horror series. Additionally, he will make an impact on the 2025 film calendar by starring alongside Tom Hiddleston in “The Life of Chuck.

Many people primarily recognize Matthew Lillard for his role as Shaggy Rogers in the initial live-action Scooby-Doo films and various cartoon series, but he’s also adept at portraying villains. Most notably, he co-held the Ghostface identity with Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis in the first Scream movie, and recently displayed his knack for playing bad guys as William Afton in 2023’s Five Nights at Freddy’s, a role he will reprise in the sequel. Given this, I’m hoping that Lillard might also take on a villainous role in Daredevil: Born Again, perhaps even portraying Mr. Fear.

It’s worth mentioning that four characters have used the name “Mr. Fear” in Marvel comics. In the context of “Born Again,” I believe Lillard’s portrayal should be a mix of Zoltan Drago, the first Mr. Fear, and Larry Cranston, who has been causing chaos as Mr. Fear for the most extended period. As his name suggests, Mr. Fear operates by instilling fear in his victims and enemies. This is achieved through a fear-inducing pheromone that he disperses using gas pellets, syringes, or aerosol sprayers.

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In the adaptation of “Daredevil: Born Again,” avoiding making Mr. Fear too similar to the Batman villain Scarecrow can be accomplished in a couple of ways.

First, instead of Matthew Lillard physically embodying Mr. Fear as a costumed supervillain, he could simply be referred to as “Mr. Fear” by his victims or associates, but not actually appear in the suit. This would allow for a more nuanced portrayal that doesn’t rely on the traditional image of a villain in a costume.

Second, rather than using fear gas, which is reminiscent of Scarecrow’s modus operandi, another means of instilling fear can be found. This could still take the form of a drug or administered substance, but it should be distinct from Scarecrow’s fear gas to avoid comparison.

Regarding the potential appearance of Matthew Lillard’s portrayal of Mr. Fear in the second season of “Daredevil: Born Again,” it is difficult to predict without knowing the events that will transpire in Season 1, which starts on Tuesday, March 4. He could be working with Wilson Fisk, causing trouble independently, or even playing an entirely different character. I’m excited to discover how his character interacts with Matt Murdock, whether it brings good or bad consequences.

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2025-03-01 01:07