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

Vincent D’Onofrio, the actor behind the iconic portrayal of Wilson Fisk in Marvel's Daredevil series, has shed light on a disheartening reality for fans: his character's big-screen future is uncertain due to complex rights issues. In a recent discussion on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, 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."

D’Onofrio clarified that his portrayal of Fisk is limited to television, dashing hopes of seeing him in any Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies, including anticipated films like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday. This limitation could also impact potential future projects, such as a Charlie Cox-led Daredevil movie, where Fisk's presence as a villain would be expected.

D’Onofrio first brought Fisk to life in the 2015 Netflix series Marvel’s Daredevil, which ran for three seasons and concluded in 2018. His performance as the formidable New York City crimelord and future mayor, also known as Kingpin, has been celebrated by both fans and critics. D’Onofrio's approach to the character is deeply influenced by classic performances, as he shared with IGN last month, "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."

He cited inspirations like Harrison Ford and Gary Cooper, particularly referencing Cooper's role in Sergeant York, noting, "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 compelling portrayal of Fisk in Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again, which is airing weekly on Disney+ and set to conclude its finale on April 15, 2025.