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Bradley Cooper
Why? Bradley Cooper has been hot stuff since The Hangover became a phenomenal success, and his latest thriller, Limitless , has topped the US box office. Surely portraying a superhero is the next logical step on the path to megastardom?
Heroic Credentials? He was the handsome quarter of the A-Team, which should mean he's well-equipped to handle any ludricrously OTT scrapes that Matt Murdock might get himself into. That film also proved that he had the chiselled abs required to pull off skin-tight superhero cossie.
Likelihood? His chances are good. He ticks all the boxes, and doesn't come loaded with baggage from any previous roles.
Matt Damon
Why? Ben's had his shot, now it's Matt's turn. Damon's long been the thinking-man's action hero, and his thesping skills would ensure that Matt Murdock would be as interesting as his ass-kicking alter ego.
Heroic Credentials? As Jason Bourne, Damon became one of the most unexpectedly compelling screen heroes of the last decade. He's earnt himself a permanent pass with that one.
Likelihood? Damon's got a packed schedule at the moment, and he may just be a little too old for the reboot.
Sam Worthington
Why? Having starred in Avatar , Clash of the Titans and Terminator Salvation , he's comfortable carrying a big movie on his shoulders, and he's no stranger to visual effects and ambitious set pieces.
Heroic Credentials? Solid, having portrayed a testy Perseus in monster-mash Clash , and, of course, travelling to Pandora with James Cameron. We're not entirely convinced he could cut it in the non-action scenes, though.
Likelihood? He's got a decent shot at consideration, though he'd have to take himself out of the running if Cameron decides to get started on Avatar 2 .
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Why? He'd be the cool choice. Gordon-Levitt's been rocking ace indies for ages now, and he's dipped his toe in big budget territory with Christopher Nolan's Inception (and, soon, The Dark Knight Rises ). He's ready to take the lead in a tentpole now.
Heroic Credentials? Erm, this'd be his first foray into proper heroics, but he exuded confidence and cool as dream-invader Arthur in Inception , where he had some scuffles in far-from-perfect gravitational conditions.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Why? Gyllenhaal was shortlisted for Batman Begins , and he almost had to step in for Tobey 'I've got a bad back' Maguire on Spider-Man 2 . Daredevil could be the perfect opportunity for him to finally bag a superhero role.
Heroic Credentials? Prince of Persia may have been thoroughly underwhelming, but that was nothing to do with Gyllenhaal, who beefed up impressively and gamely threw himself into the sandy shenanigans.
Garrett Hedlund
Why? The TRON: Legacy star's name is mentioned whenever an action role is being recast ( Bourne , Akira ), so it seemed like a safe bet to whack him in here. He'd be a pretty decent screen approximation of Murdock too.
Heroic Credentials? In TRON he wore the skin-tight lycra without embarrassment, and acquitted himself admirably in the gladiatorial combat of the virtual-reality arena.
Likelihood? Even after TRON , his name doesn't have a huge amount of recognition factor, which might make him an appealing option. He's finished shooting On the Road and hasn't locked into anything else yet, so his schedule could definitely accomodate Daredevil .
Channing Tatum
Why? After an extremely impressive turn in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints , Tatum has been frequently let down by weak material. Don't bother trying to salvage the G.I. Joe franchise, jump ship and take on a different hero.
Heroic Credentials? Weak film it may have been, but Joe did at least confirm he had the physicality to play a larger-than-life hero. If he could just bring some of his Saints intensity along too...
Likelihood? His schedule's looking pretty busy right now, with 21 Jump Street and a Peter Pan reboot jostling for attention amid G.I. Joe sequels...
Alex Pettyfer
Why? If Pattinson's not interested, Pettyfer could step up to the plate. Despite the failure of Stormbreaker , his first attempt at franchise fame, Pettyfer led I Am Number Four to decent box office returns.
Heroic Credentials? He's been doing it since his teens, so it should be no sweat for him. He sports a cartoonishly-angular jaw, too: essential for pulling off the Daredevil headgear (which just wouldn't look right with a double chin hanging out of it).
Likelihood? The only thing against him is his age. At 20 he could be too young for Murdock, who's been to law school and everything.
Michael Fassbender
Why? Because Fassbender is awesome in everything he's in, and you know he could nail the steely intensity and the physicality of the character. As a superstar-in-the-making, it'd be wise to invest in him now.
Heroic Credentials? He had a good go at stylised, pump 'n thrust machismo in 300 , and this summer he's playing Magneto in Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class .
Likelihood? Fassbender has a great deal of work on the horizon (including Ridley Scott's Prometheus ), and considering the variety of projects he's been involved in, it seems unlikely that he'd potentially tie himself into another franchise.
