Vincent D'Onofrio: Wilson Fisk's Movie Appearance Blocked by Rights Issues

It turns out that fans of the iconic Hell's Kitchen villain Wilson Fisk, portrayed by Vincent D’Onofrio, will not see him on the big screen anytime soon. In a recent interview on the podcast Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz, D’Onofrio shared some disappointing news about the character's future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

"The only thing I know is not positive," D’Onofrio explained. "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 on the constraints, 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's portrayal of Fisk in upcoming MCU films such as Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday. It also raises questions about the potential for a standalone Charlie Cox Daredevil movie, where Fisk's presence as the primary antagonist would be expected.

D’Onofrio first brought Wilson Fisk, also known as Kingpin, to life in the 2015 Netflix series Marvel’s Daredevil. Over three seasons and nearly 40 episodes, his performance garnered widespread acclaim from both fans and critics. D’Onofrio's dedication to the character is evident in how he draws inspiration from other notable performances.

In a conversation with IGN last month, D’Onofrio discussed the influence of actors like Harrison Ford on his portrayal of Fisk. "Anytime they were in a fight, or they were holding a gun, they looked nervous," he said, emphasizing the humility and realism he tries to infuse into Fisk's action scenes. He cited Gary Cooper's performance in Sergeant York as an example of how humility can enhance the authenticity of action sequences.

Currently, fans can enjoy D’Onofrio's portrayal of Fisk in the ongoing first season of Daredevil: Born Again, which is airing weekly on Disney+. The season finale is scheduled to premiere on April 15, 2025.