Charlie Cox says he was surprised by how hard his 6-year-old son took the show ending. The actor, 43, spoke to PEOPLE at New York Comic Con on 8 October at the Javits Center, after the Marvel series was confirmed to end with its third season.
He expected saying goodbye to be difficult for himself, but not for his son. "It's been 12 years of my life." He thinks this character will probably be the most important of his career, and said he is "trying to prepare my son for it more than I'm preparing myself.
He's devastated." His son has only just started to embrace the idea that his dad is a superhero, Cox explained. "When I told him, the colour drained from his face.
It didn't occur to me that he'd be so impacted by it, so it's very sweet." Cox said the transition out of the role will be "weird", but that he is grateful for the time.
He estimated he has played Daredevil for about 70 hours, calling it "the great honour of my career". His life has changed enormously in those 12 years, he said.
He met his wife, television producer Samantha Thomas, on day one of Daredevil, and they now have two children. As an actor and executive producer, he said he learned the importance of a happy set, where every department is engaged and enjoying the work.
He also teased the final season. After Matt Murdock exposed his identity and was arrested in the season 2 finale, Cox asked what months of being vilified and incarcerated does to his psyche.
"He was trying to help," he said, and he has ended up "at the bottom of the pit". Finn Jones was confirmed at Comic Con to return as Iron Fist in season 3.
Krysten Ritter and Mike Colter, who appeared in season 2, are expected back too. The first two seasons are streaming on Disney+.