This spring marks the return of the Netflix original series, Marvel’s "Daredevil." Entering its second season, “Daredevil” is the anchor for several Marvel inspired Netflix shows. “Jessica Jones” and the upcoming “Luke Cage," “Iron Fist," and “Defenders” shows are all Netflix original series that exists in the same world. In fact, all of the Marvel shows on Netflix are a part of a larger universe.
In the pilot episode for “Daredevil," the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York is dealing with the fallout from an alien invasion. The same alien invasion that occurred in “The Avengers." Over the past few years, Marvel Entertainment has told superhero stories on the big screen, on ABC with “Agent’s of Shield”, and now on Netflix. All of these stories are connected. When Iron Man saves the world during a movie, Marvel TV characters deal with the repercussions. It’s easy to call the Marvel cinematic universe huge just based on that, but what if there are even more movies and television shows linked to Marvel, just under the surface?
In 2015, a movie called “Sicario” premiered in the United States. It was rated R, and featured the American government participating in several shady activities in an attempt to control the illegal drug trade. It features a world in which the drug lords and the government are both seen unfavorably, and where corruption rules all. Slight spoilers for the movie “Sicario” follow. Actor Jon Bernthal plays a corrupt police officer in Arizona. Eventually, he is revealed as an agent for a Mexican cartel, but his ultimate fate is left unknown. In season two of “Daredevil”, Bernthal appears as the vengeful Punisher, A former cop hunting his family’s murderers. Sicario was set in Arizona, while Daredevil takes place in New York, but it’s possible. A simple use of the witness protection program could transform Bernthal’s Ted in Sicario, to Frank Castle in “Daredevil."
This could be a case of an actor simply taking similar roles within a short time period. Actors do this all the time and Bernthal’s case he does it quite frequently. He has now played a police officer in “Daredevil”, Sicario, and in The Walking Dead. (Coincidentally, The Walking Dead was originally a comic book). Bernthal even voiced a paramilitary security guard in a Call of Duty video game. Yet Bernthal ‘s is not the only character in Sicario that could have ties to another major series.
Actor Jefferey Donovan, perhaps most famous for playing Michael Westin in the television show Burn Notice, also appears in “Sicario." In “Burn Notice," Donovan plays the role of a former CIA operative that has been wrongfully “burned” or fired from his position. Interestingly enough, Donovan once again plays a CIA agent in “Sicario." The two characters have different names, but in a spying organization like the CIA, aliases are used all the time.
Benicio Del Toro plays the role of The Collector in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. He is also set to take on a role Star Wars Episode VIII. (Both Star Wars and Marvel are owned by Disney). Del Toro also played a mysterious assassin like character who seeks vengeance for his own family’s brutal murder. There seems to be little connection between Del Toro’ Sicario character and his Guardians character, other than both of them being human and mysterious. All the same, it’s an interesting avenue to explore when taken along with the other two examples.
These examples could simply point toward one Hollywood trend or another. These actors might not be able to effectively portray a wide range of characters, or perhaps Hollywood is simply typecasting them. Maybe all three of these actors truly enjoy playing the same type of roles and playing them well. It keeps them employed after all. Or maybe, a massive monopoly over the entertainment business is taking form. If even one of the possible connections is true, viewers should keep an eye out for hidden fan service and massive conspiracies. After all, Disney also owns ESPN. Never underestimate the House of Mouse and its ambitions. Most likely this is a case of actors choosing and being cast in similar roles. Hollywood is an exclusive club. Yet maybe there’s something to it. Always remember: one’s an incidence, two is a coincidence, three is a pattern.
