12 Directors You Didn't Know Almost Made Comic Book Movies
3. Joe Carnahan - Daredevil
After Ben Affleck's 2003 Daredevil tanked with critics and audiences, Fox had until 2012 to produce another project or the rights would revert to Marvel Studios (as they eventually did).
Shortly before the deadline ran out, Joe Carnahan (Narc, The A-Team) was approached to pitch his version of a pre-existing script, but ultimately time ran out and Fox lost the option to make another movie.
As we all know, Daredevil then became a hit Netflix show, and the rest is history.
Would It Have Worked?: Carnahan is such a brilliant fit for gritty, urban material like this, so it's a shame he never got his shot, but at the same time, it's hard to begrudge Netflix for the fantastic show they've put out.