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

Fans of the menacing Wilson Fisk, portrayed by Vincent D’Onofrio, will be disappointed to learn that the character is not slated for the big screen. In a recent interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, D’Onofrio shed light on the complexities surrounding his character's use in Marvel's cinematic universe. "The only thing I know is not positive," he shared, emphasizing the challenges due to ownership rights. "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."

D’Onofrio further clarified that his portrayal of Fisk is limited to television, dashing hopes of a standalone Wilson Fisk movie. "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," he added. This revelation effectively rules out his appearance in upcoming MCU films such as Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday, and potentially impacts any future Daredevil movie featuring Charlie Cox, where fans would expect to see D’Onofrio reprise his role as the villain.

D’Onofrio first brought Fisk to life in Marvel's Daredevil on Netflix in 2015, a series that ran for three seasons and concluded in 2018 with nearly 40 episodes. His performance as New York City's formidable crimelord and future mayor, also known as Kingpin, has been widely acclaimed by both fans and critics. D’Onofrio's approach to the character is deeply considered, drawing inspiration from legendary actors like Harrison Ford. "Anytime they were in a fight, or they were holding a gun, they looked nervous," he told IGN, discussing how he incorporates the humility seen in performances by Ford and other greats into his own portrayal of Fisk. "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 in action as Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again airs week-to-week on Disney+, with the finale set to premiere on April 15, 2025.