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DUBAI: After years of anticipation, reshoots and creative switcheroos, “Daredevil: Born Again” has finally arrived, and its first two episodes waste no time reintroducing audiences to the brutal, morally complex world of Hell’s Kitchen.

Anchored by Charlie Cox’s measured performance as Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio’s chilling return as Wilson Fisk, the series makes a strong first impression.

Marvel’s grittiest hero is back in top form, thanks largely to “Punisher’s” Dario Scardapane, who took over as showrunner mid-production.

The opening episodes set a relentless and heart-wrenching tone, beginning with a violent confrontation between Daredevil and Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) at Josie’s Bar that quickly escalates into a rooftop clash.

The fight sequences, a hallmark of the original “Daredevil” series from Netflix, remain meticulously crafted — visceral, bloody and free of unnecessary embellishment.

A year later, Murdock, still struggling with the burdens of his dual identity, now operates a new law firm alongside Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James).

He appears to be forging a new romantic connection with psychiatrist Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva). Yet, despite his efforts to build a more stable life, shadows from his past loom large.

Wilson Fisk, long absent from the scene, reemerges from the shadows with a new and menacing agenda, turning his ambitions toward the political arena.

His aspirations to become mayor of New York City suggest a fresh and dangerous evolution of his character — one that D’Onofrio plays with a practiced and quiet menace that is as captivating as ever.

Cox remains a commanding presence, portraying Murdock with an understated intensity that exudes rage, resilience and exhaustion, all at once.

His reunion with Fisk — in a masterfully-crafted, tense diner scene — serves as a stark reminder that their ideological battle is far from over.

Visually, the series retains its signature aesthetic — moody, atmospheric, and unflinching in its depiction of violence. The action is raw, the dialogue sharp, and the stakes higher than ever.

All in all “Daredevil: Born Again” does not try to reinvent itself but instead refines what made its predecessor so compelling.

DUBAI: British actor and activist Khalid Abdalla, known for his portrayal of Dodi Fayed in “The Crown,” has been asked to attend a police interview in connection with a pro-Palestinian protest he attended in London in January this year.

In an Instagram post, the 44-year-old actor revealed that he received a letter from London’s Metropolitan Police on Thursday. He stated that others, including 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos, had also been “summoned” for interviews.

The matter concerns a demonstration organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which took place in Whitehall, London, on Jan. 18. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) protest was adjusted to be a static rally after police curtailed organisers’ plans for a march past the BBC, which critics said was also near a synagogue. A group of protesters marched towards London’s Trafalgar Square from Whitehall after the rally.

Abdalla, who also starred in the 2024 thriller “The Day of the Jackal,” noted that it “remains to be seen” whether he or the others will face charges.

He expressed concern over the state of protest rights in the UK, saying they are “under attack” and must be defended.

The actor also made a reference to “No Other Land,” a collaborative documentary made by Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers that won an Oscar this week, in his online statement. 

“While there is an alarming rise in attempts to censor voices that stand up for Palestine, even as it faces open calls for ethnic cleansing, it will not work. The days of silencing and intimidation are gone. The stakes are too high, and as we can see today with ‘No Other Land’ winning at the Oscars, momentum is on the side of justice, and shared humanity,” he wrote.

“I will not be making further comment on the January 18 protest for legal reasons, for now, but in every other way, I will continue to put my energies towards the better world that we so clearly need, and which requires all of us to work together to turn into a reality,” he added.

Abdalla, born in the UK to Egyptian parents, has participated in multiple pro-Palestinian demonstrations and has used social media to call on Western nations to “stop arming Israel.”

He was  also a signatory to the Artists for Palestine UK open letter to the BBC in February, criticising the corporation's decision to pull a documentary about children's lives in Gaza after it discovered its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.