After months of delays related to its release date and a troubled development cycle, “Daredevil: Born Again” arrived on Disney+ with both enormous expectations and a heavy burden of legacy. Fans of the original Netflix run, last seen in 2018, held the series in almost mythic regard, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe had been facing fatigue from critics and audiences alike. The pressure to deliver something worthy of the character and distinct from the studio’s more formulaic recent output was immense. Among those helping meet that challenge was editor Stephanie Filo, who cut three episodes of the season.
Initially conceived as an 18-episode legal procedural with a dramatically different tone, the show was paused mid-production during the WGA and SAG strikes. That creative halt became a turning point. As Filo recalls, “We had time to sit and look at what it was… so that everyone could figure out what they wanted the series to be.” What emerged was a reinvented vision that stayed grounded in character, action, and emotion, earning back the trust of even the most skeptical fans.
Filo joined the project in March 2023 after a years-long admiration of the Netflix version and a general meeting with Marvel that finally aligned. With acclaimed experience across genre and form, including work on “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and “American Crime Story,” Filo brought both editorial precision and cultural insight to the table. Her role on “Daredevil: Born Again” was not only technical but deeply creative, shaping fight scenes, sonic moments, and the duality of Matt Murdock with equal care.
“What makes ‘Daredevil’ so powerful is how grounded it is. It’s not over the top. It’s a man filled with Catholic guilt who’s a street level superhero,” Filo says. That philosophy guided her work, from the show’s widely praised sensory editing sequences to its carefully modulated intercuts between Matt and Fisk’s escalating parallel arcs. One standout moment, according to Filo, was the gala episode’s climactic sequence: “It was such a massive collaboration… and as someone with a dance background, I was selfishly so excited I got that episode.”
Beyond her editorial impact, Filo has also emerged as a powerful advocate for inclusion in the post production space. Her mentorship of assistant editor Lyriq Ramsey and her commitment to authenticity, especially in editing characters like Leroy Bradford, reflect a larger mission: “You can always tell if a project with a lot of Black characters was edited by someone who isn’t Black… there are nuances that matter.”
Stephanie Filo spoke with Awards Focus about navigating the show’s reboot, crafting some of the season’s most memorable moments, and the responsibility of shaping story through the lens of representation.
Awards Focus: It’s very nice to talk to you. “Daredevil” has always been one of my favorite characters and shows. I’d love to hear how you first entered the Marvel and Daredevil universe—how did this job come about?
Stephanie Filo: I had actually had a general meeting with Marvel, probably right before Covid or right at the start of Covid. And we all really hit it off, but we couldn’t figure out a way to make our schedules line up for any projects. Then one day they reached out about “Daredevil,” which is like one of my favorite Netflix shows. I loved the original series so much, and I was just so excited at that opportunity—and the window lined up. I met with the creative team behind this particular “Daredevil” and we all hit it off. I joined in maybe March of 2023.
AF: I imagine Marvel doesn’t just give out meetings. Was there a particular part of your résumé or background that opened that door?
Filo: A friend and mentor of mine, Elizabeth Ronalds-Dottir—she had cut “Deadpool” and the “John Wick” series as well—had recommended me to them. So I think just the combination of that and some of my past work maybe worked enough to get a general meeting. I was so excited to meet with them. Even at the time I was like, they’re so nice, but there’s no way they’ll ever bring me on to something. And then this happened.
AF: The Netflix run of “Daredevil” was beloved, and then there was this long break and the tonal shift—some fans weren’t sure what to expect. When you joined in March 2023, what were you told about how this new version on Disney+ would feel?
Filo: The original tone was just a different direction. I think something that’s not talked about much is that they were good episodes—it was just a very different direction for the series. It was more of a crime procedural drama than an action series. The tone wasn’t completely similar to the Netflix series. That was kind of a challenge, trying to figure out what that tone was originally. My gut instinct was, like, okay, here’s this moment happening—should I hear the Netflix score, even as temp? But we were directed not to go that way. We still had the same characters—Matt, Fisk—it was still within the world, but it definitely had a different tone.
AF: Was that original version the 18-episode run that was ultimately paused?
Filo: Yeah, I came in at the start of that original run. It was supposed to be 18 episodes. I think it was around the time of the strike that we kind of stopped down. We had maybe shot five and a half episodes at that point. We had been churning away, trying to figure out the vibe. But once the strike hit, we had time to sit and look at what it was. We went on hiatus, maybe for like eight weeks, so that everyone could figure out what they wanted the series to be.
AF: I think fans sometimes panic when they hear things like that. But the final product was so strong. Did that broader Marvel conversation—about tone, about audience trust—impact what ultimately made it to screen?
Filo: I can’t speak for the other creatives or execs. But I know for me and the other editors, we didn’t really buy into that. We were just aiming to make the best show we possibly could. But we all felt that we were still trying to find the right voice for this version of “Daredevil.” There were moments where we did test things. In one of my episodes, I remember we tried the old Netflix theme just to see if it worked. There were definitely pieces where we tried to bring it back—because it’s such a beloved show and worth reinstating.
AF: What do you think makes “Daredevil” resonate so much with viewers?
Filo: I think it’s just such a grounded-in-reality show. It’s not over the top. It’s a man filled with Catholic guilt who’s a street-level superhero. It’s just so interesting to watch those very real, human interactions play out.
AF: How did this process differ from, say, working on a more traditional procedural?
Filo: We had tone meetings before dailies, which is pretty standard. Sometimes you have to ask for them. Luckily, we had those meetings and got to hear what they were going for. On the VFX side, I didn’t have meetings before dailies. The original plan didn’t call for many VFX at all. So I think it just wasn’t the early focus.
AF: Sound is such a critical part of this show, especially given Matt’s heightened senses. How did that factor into your work?
Filo: People don’t always realize that assistant editors do a lot of our sound work while we’re editing. Our sound designer, John Borland, created a package for the sensory moments. When Matt is hearing something, we had different versions of how that could sound. Early on, there was more reverb—you’d hear real-life sounds, but with a kind of textured filter. Over time, once [Justin] Benson and [Aaron] Moorhead joined as directors, they created this thing called the Sensory Grand Moment. The camera shifts, the aspect ratio changes as Matt is hearing something. And in sound, we start with everything around him, and then slowly it all falls away until you hear the one final thing he’s tuning in on. It was really fun to figure out what that would actually sound like.
AF: There’s a legacy in “Daredevil” around long takes and grounded action. Can you walk us through the bank robbery and alley fight sequences?
Filo: The goal is always to cut as little as possible, but in that bank robbery, we had to establish the space—how many people were there, the layout. That was a real location, and I believe it’s in another movie too. When the robbers breach the bank, we tried to keep it in that one shot for a while, but then cut around to show the scope. The stairway fight in that same episode was originally one continuous piece, but we realized it was more intense if we intercut—to the hostages, to the vault, to the exterior police. Sometimes the footage dictates the cut. In the alley fight, there was originally a parade happening in the background. In the overhaul, we removed all of that. We had a wide silhouette shot of them fighting, but it didn’t land quite right, so we cut around it more.
AF: Matt is a character with dual identities and a lot of internal conflict. How did that affect your editorial choices?
Filo: That was definitely important across the season. Early on, he’s more subdued, trying to withhold part of himself. By episode eight, the gala episode, he starts on edge and ends totally unhinged. So the idea was to watch that arc unfold over the season. Editorially, we did a lot of intercutting—especially with Fisk, who’s also hiding who he really is. In episode four, Matt goes up to the tool shed to get his billy clubs, and Fisk goes down to his dungeon. We intercut that, because they’re both succumbing to their nature. In episode six, there’s an intercut fight between Matt and Muse and Fisk and Adam—again, both fully leaning into who they are. And in episode eight, Fisk finally emerges in the white tuxedo as Kingpin.
AF: Were there ever moments where you cut something out, only to realize later it was a key reference or Easter egg?
Filo: Yes. In episode four, Leroy Bradford says, “Could it have been a Skrull?” and I thought it was just a random line, so I took it out. But they told me, no, it’s a reference to “Secret Invasion,” and to put it back. We also played with whether or not to show the Ms. Marvel bobblehead in the bank episode. We kept it in the end. It’s fun to play with those things and also to learn as you go. Sometimes you don’t even know something is an Easter egg until someone points it out.
AF: Were there any character arcs that were particularly rewarding to work on?
Filo: My favorite character is Bullseye. I just loved working on any scenes with him. In episode eight, there’s a scene at Rikers when Matt comes to see him, and our directors, Benson and Moorhead, really emphasized the need for us to feel his humanity in that moment. Later, he does the tooth attack, and it’s such a layered moment. He’s a complex character, and it was fun to figure that out.
AF: As a Black woman and editor, you’ve spoken about inclusion and mentorship. Did this project open more doors for new talent?
Filo: I hope so. My goal is always to prove that we can do it. Opportunities aren’t always there for people who look like me, so I try to be visible. My assistant editor, Lyriq Ramsey, is amazing, and I’m so excited that she’s also in the Marvel world with me. We’re here and we can do it.
AF: Do you feel a responsibility to advocate for inclusion in the craft space?
Filo: Especially in editorial—you can always tell if a project with a lot of Black characters was edited by someone who isn’t Black. There are nuances that matter. Even for a character like Leroy Bradford in episode four, who’s only in that episode, I felt a real responsibility to make sure he was layered and interesting. Sometimes you’re in the room but you don’t have a voice. It’s so important to speak up and emphasize different perspectives.
AF: Was there a scene you were especially proud made the final cut?
Filo: The gala sequence in episode eight. Just the entire back half of that episode. It was such a massive collaboration—every person on the project contributed. And as someone with a dance background, I was selfishly so excited I got that episode. Bullseye’s in that scene too. And my assistant editor found the final needle drop song that made it work. We tried so many versions—David Lynch-style music, jazz, bad wedding band music. It was fun to experiment and see what stuck.
AF: What can you say about the next season of “Daredevil”?
Filo: I do know about another season. I can’t tell you anything about it… but I am working on it.
AF: Stephanie, this was a great conversation. Best of luck this Emmy season.
Filo: Thank you!