Vincent D'Onofrio: Wilson Fisk's Movie Rights Complicate Daredevil: Born Again

It seems that fans of the Marvel universe, particularly those who enjoy the menacing presence of Wilson Fisk, portrayed by Vincent D’Onofrio, might have to adjust their expectations. In a recent interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, D’Onofrio shared some disappointing news regarding the future of his character on the big screen.

D’Onofrio revealed, "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 elaborated that his portrayal of Fisk is restricted to television appearances, stating, "I’m only usable for television shows. Not even a one-off Wilson Fisk movie. It’s all caught up in rights and stuff. I don’t know when that would work out — or if it ever would work out at all."

This revelation likely dashes hopes of seeing D’Onofrio reprise his role as the formidable Kingpin in upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe films, such as Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday. It also raises questions about the feasibility of a potential Daredevil movie featuring Charlie Cox, where fans would expect to see D’Onofrio as the villain.

D’Onofrio first brought Wilson Fisk to life in the 2015 Netflix series Daredevil, which ran for three seasons and concluded in 2018 with nearly 40 episodes. His performance as the powerful New York City crimelord, who later becomes mayor, has been widely acclaimed. D’Onofrio's approach to the character is deeply influenced by classic performances, as he explained to IGN: "Anytime they were in a fight, or they were holding a gun, they looked nervous... They carried their own humility into the action scenes with them. And I always thought that that was the way to go. That made it look real to me. Gary Cooper in Sergeant York, when he takes aim, when he becomes the sniper, it's the humility in his eyes that you see. It's amazing. I think that helps action stuff a lot. We're all very conscious of that."

Currently, fans can catch D’Onofrio's portrayal of Fisk in Daredevil: Born Again, which is airing weekly on Disney+ and will conclude its first season on April 15, 2025. While the big screen may be off-limits for now, D’Onofrio's compelling performance continues to captivate audiences on television.