Vincent D'Onofrio on Wilson Fisk's Movie Absence: 'It's All About Rights'

In a recent revelation that has disappointed many fans, Vincent D’Onofrio, known for his role as the formidable Wilson Fisk in the Marvel series Daredevil, has confirmed that his character is off-limits for the big screen. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, D’Onofrio shared, "The only thing I know is not positive. It's a very hard thing to do, for Marvel to use my character. It's a very hard thing to do, because of ownership and stuff." He further elaborated that his portrayal of Fisk is restricted to television shows and cannot be used even for a standalone movie due to complex rights issues. This statement dashes hopes of seeing D’Onofrio's Fisk in upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe films like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday, and could potentially impact any future Daredevil movie featuring Charlie Cox, where Fisk's presence as a villain would be expected.

D’Onofrio first brought Wilson Fisk, also known as Kingpin, to life in the 2015 Netflix series Marvel’s Daredevil. The show ran for three seasons, concluding in 2018 with nearly 40 episodes. D’Onofrio's nuanced portrayal of New York City’s most powerful crimelord and future mayor has garnered widespread acclaim from both fans and critics. He has often discussed the influences behind his performance, drawing inspiration from the everyman performances of actors like Harrison Ford. "Anytime they were in a fight, or they were holding a gun, they looked nervous," D’Onofrio told IGN, reflecting on how these actors brought a sense of humility into their action scenes, a technique he believes adds realism and depth to his own multifaceted villain. He cited Gary Cooper's role in Sergeant York as a prime example of this approach.

Currently, fans can catch D’Onofrio reprising his role as Fisk in the first season of Daredevil: Born Again, which is airing weekly on Disney+ and is set to conclude its finale on April 15, 2025.