It seems that Wilson Fisk, the notorious villain from Hell's Kitchen, won't be appearing in any Marvel movies — at least according to Vincent D'Onofrio, the star of Daredevil: Born Again.
"The only downside I know of," D'Onofrio shared on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, "is how challenging it is for Marvel to include my character. Rights and ownership issues make it really difficult."
He went on to clarify, “I can only be used in TV series — not even a standalone Wilson Fisk film. Everything is tied up with rights. I have no idea when or if that might change.”
This effectively rules out D'Onofrio's version of Fisk showing up in any Marvel Cinematic Universe film. As a result, he won't be in upcoming titles like Spider-Man: Brand New Day or Avengers: Doomsday. This situation also casts doubt on a potential Charlie Cox-led Daredevil film, where we would naturally expect D'Onofrio to reprise his role as the primary antagonist.
D'Onofrio first introduced Fisk — New York City's most feared crime boss, also known as Kingpin and eventually its mayor — in Marvel’s Daredevil. The original Netflix series debuted in 2015, ran for three seasons, and concluded in 2018 with nearly 40 episodes. Over the years, critics and fans alike have consistently praised D'Onofrio’s performance. It’s no surprise, then, that he puts careful thought into how Fisk is portrayed, particularly when drawing from his inspirations.
“Every time those actors were in a fight or held a gun, they looked genuinely tense,” D'Onofrio told IGN last month, referencing the grounded acting of legends like Harrison Ford — an influence on his layered depiction of the villain.
“They brought a relatable humility into action sequences. I always believed that approach made everything feel authentic. Think of Gary Cooper in Sergeant York — even as he takes aim as a sniper, there’s a humble intensity in his eyes. It’s incredible. I believe that adds so much realism to action scenes. We’re all very aware of that.”
The first season of Daredevil: Born Again is currently streaming weekly on Disney+, with the finale set to premiere on April 15, 2025.
