Matthew Lillard Teases Mystery Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Role Poised to Make Fisk Sweat

If you were hoping for a Frank Castle cameo in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, brace yourself: Jon Bernthal is sitting this one out. The trade-off? Matthew Lillard is joining the show as a brand-new face named Mr. Charles, and he sounds like a real problem for Mayor Wilson Fisk. Also, no capes, no spandex, no anything stretchy.

Who is Mr. Charles, exactly?

Lillard, yes that Matthew Lillard from Scream and Scooby-Doo, was announced back in February. Marvel has kept his character locked down since then, but the broad strokes are clear: Mr. Charles is new to Hell's Kitchen and is positioned as a rival to Vincent D'Onofrio's Fisk, who is currently the mayor of New York in this corner of the MCU.

"He is someone completely new to Hell's Kitchen... I do not wear any lycra of any kind."

That was Lillard to MovieWeb, shutting down the suit question right away. He also shouted out new showrunner Dario Scardapane, a longtime friend he worked with on The Bridge, saying Scardapane built something he was excited to share and that Lillard is thrilled to jump in.

How big a threat are we talking?

In October, Lillard told Entertainment Weekly that Mr. Charles is a fresh antagonist who, in his view, can throw around as much influence as Fisk in certain ways. That tracks with what he teased to MovieWeb about the role fitting his range: big swings when needed, then dialed-in, quieter beats. He has scenes with D'Onofrio, which should be a fun watch and a deep-cut reunion. The two last worked together on the 2000 film Spanish Judges.

• No Punisher this season: Jon Bernthal is not appearing in season 2.
• New player: Matthew Lillard joins as Mr. Charles, a still-mysterious character introduced back in February.
• No suit: Lillard says there is zero lycra involved.
• The target: Mr. Charles is set up as a direct challenge to Wilson Fisk, the sitting mayor of New York.
• Power level: Lillard describes the character as a new antagonist who can rival Fisk's sway in some ways.
• On-screen clash: He shares scenes with Vincent D'Onofrio, marking their first project together since 2000's Spanish Judges.
• Creative ties: Showrunner Dario Scardapane worked with Lillard on The Bridge, and Lillard says Scardapane built this part with real enthusiasm.
• Vibe check: Lillard says the role matches his energy, from big to restrained, and that people close to the show are over the moon about how it turned out.
• Date to circle: Daredevil: Born Again season 2 hits Disney+ on March 4, 2026.

Bottom line

The Punisher sits this one out, but Lillard stepping in as Mr. Charles could be the kind of left-field addition that shakes up Fisk's grip on New York. No costume, lots of clout, and some head-to-head time with D'Onofrio. We will see how it plays when season 2 lands on March 4, 2026.