The Newton Brothers Break Down Daredevil: Born Again Most Powerful Scenes

From X-Men ’97 to Daredevil: Born Again, The Newton Brothers discuss scoring beloved character deaths and breakdown their favorite Born Again scenes.

In this exclusive interview, The Newton Brothers discuss yet another incredible Marvel project they have had a chance to work on – Daredevil: Born Again. Andy and Taylor, known collectively as The Newton Brothers, are American film score composers, record producers, and multi-instrumentalists.

We caught up to discuss their latest work and joke about the fact that they keep scoring beloved character deaths. They talk about their collaboration with the sound team and break down some of their favorite Daredevil: Born Again moments.

Finding The Right Score For Foggy’s Death

Tessa Smith: Foggy’s death is obviously a pivotal and emotional moment in the series. Was that score particularly difficult to nail down?

Taylor: First of all, we love the Netflix series too. And like you, we thought it was great. Coming into this we wanted to really expand on the universe that was established. These characters are so beloved, so we wanted to do them justice. When we first read about that too, with Foggy, we were like, whoo, this is hard. But I feel like it’s the impetus for what comes for this season. And I think for the people who are shocked or are like, well, why did they do that? I think if you watch the show, you’ll understand what happens and why that occurred.

I think that particular scene, it changed a lot musically as it was going along based off of feedback. We try and test some things, but in the end it needed to feel tragic and shocking and it really needed to set up putting down the mask, you know what I mean? And is it really necessary to ever be Daredevil? Is it causing more harm than good? No matter if he personally wants to be Daredevil, is it really helping or is it just making things worse?

Because I think, if you were in it and it’s your friend and that’s your tragedy, you would take it as like, maybe this isn’t really working out. I think that conflict really is very grounded for, especially for superheroes, that people can relate to it. That aspect of it was just really bringing home the tragedy, especially after he’s gone and he’s died and then the mask is falling. It’s like, we’re done. It’s the beginning.

Andy: His death kind of unlocked for us, musically, what needed to happen before and after that and into the season, right? Because without really thinking about it, if you’re just kind of running with it, it’s like, oh, all these things are happening with Bullseye and Daredevil leading up to the roof and all that happens. What unlocked everything for us was this is all about Matt losing one of his closest friends, right? And how that lands on him and how that would land on all of us. The rage we would feel, the rage we do feel when people are taken from us, even if it’s just of natural causes.

But in this case, that really becomes a thing so much so that, like a good example is with Bullseye going off the roof at the end. There was a version of that where we scored a big buildup to Matt pushing him off the roof. But really that’s not what it’s about at all.

It’s about what’s going on with Matt, even though he’s Daredevil in that moment, he’s so conflicted. That gave us so much ammunition for what’s to come in the rest of the series. It’s really helpful when you have a very intense emotion because it helps guide you.

There Is Purposefully Very Little Music In The Diner Scene

Tessa Smith: Matt and Wilson’s conversation in the diner is one of my favorite scenes in all of Daredevil: Born Again.

Taylor: That was one of my particular favorite scenes between the two of them, in the diner. Just the way it’s shot. He’s looks so big and the David and Goliath of it all. And then what they say in the interaction between them, I was just like, this is so good. There’s barely any music in there and I think it works so well just sitting almost dry. That’s one of my favorite sequences as well, just in terms of the show. I love it. But it’s super exciting because these characters have been around forever from the comic books to here we are.

Andy: Yeah, there’s a lot of stripping down that happens. Because I think the first iteration, not always, but a lot of the time, the first iteration is to overwrite because, I guess with any craft you do, I’d be curious if a makeup artist applies more makeup and then mutes it. You know what I’m getting at? Or does a hairstylist do a big poofy hairdo and then tame it down?

Because musically, at least on my end, it’s nice to bolster the music up and then just go in and start removing lots of things and find out where the sound is that’s speaking to the character so that it’s not overwritten. Because like, as Taylor said, a lot of these scenes don’t really need it. The stories and the characters speak for themselves. So it’s really about us living in the shadows and doing a little surgery where necessary.

The Newton Brothers Say Punisher’s Return Was A Daunting Scene To Work On

Tessa Smith: I love Jon Bernthal’s Punisher. It was so exciting to see him back this season, but he has changed. What was your approach to that?

Andy: That was one that Taylor and I talked about as well, before we’d even seen it, because it’s such a moment. There’s so much that happens within that moment that it was a daunting scene to work on because it’s a different character than what you have in your mind of Punisher. It’s not a different character, but it’s a part of the character that you don’t necessarily… you know what I mean. It’s really fun.

Taylor has a 66 Mustang that has the Punisher emblem on the air filter so we’re with you on that too. He’s a very special character to us as well. I guess that’s all I should really say right now. 

Taylor: I will, without talking about necessarily Frank specifically, it really shows the variations between the different tones of the spectrum of the characters. Like, them the Punisher, or Frank, or Matt, or Daredevil. I feel like the actors are pouring their hearts out in these roles. We got a chance to meet them and they’re so lovely and super humble. You can tell how much they care about these characters and they come in wanting it to be not good, but great. Everyone we met really, really cared.

And so I think, musically we want to know where to dance and when to be thematic and when to let space happen because there are performances that are just absolutely incredible, as you’ve seen between some of these characters. So I think for us, it was a real treat to see them vulnerable in these roles.

Be sure to watch our full interview with The Newton Brothers for more Daredevil: Born Again inside information. The first four episodes of Daredevil: Born Again are streaming now, with new episodes being released every Tuesday.

NEXT: 10 Most Interesting Daredevil: Born Again Facts Learned At The Press Conference (Plus Comic Book Suggestions From The EP!)

About Daredevil: Born Again

Matt Murdock finds himself on a collision course with Wilson Fisk when their past identities begin to emerge.

The first four episodes of Daredevil: Born Again are streaming on Disney+ now.