A major Daredevil: Born Again character is officially stepping up to replace Kingpin in Season 3. Ahead of Born Again's return next March, Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin is in the truly unique position of having lost everything: his wife Vanessa, criminal enterprise, Anti-Vigilante Task Force, mayoral position, and even his place in New York after he was ousted by Daredevil. But still, D'Onofrio will continue his already 11-year-long MCU tenure in Born Again's third outing and likely more beyond that, as many remain hopeful to see him appear in Spider-Man 5 or 6 to fight Spidey and Daredevil after sitting out Brand New Day.
Daredevil: Born Again's Sheila Rivera actress, Zabryna Guevara, posted a photo next to a Spider-Man: Brand New Day poster on Instagram after her cameo in the MCU blockbuster, captioned, "NYC tested - Mayor approved," solidifying her crucial new political position in the Disney+ series' upcoming third outing.
The Brand New Day actress' post confirms, as expected, that Sheila Rivera has stepped up to replace Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk as Mayor of New York City ahead of Born Again Season 3. She previously served as Fisk's campaign manager and became his Chief of Staff after he was elected in Season 1.
Audiences caught their first glimpse of Sheila Rivera as New York mayor in Brand New Day as she handed Spider-Man the Key to the City. The symbolic gesture recognized his status as "the pride of New York City" after working hard to bring down numerous villains and criminal syndicates in recent years.
Kingpin may have been pushed out of politics and New York by Daredevil and his rebellion, but set photos confirmed that Fisk will return to the Big Apple with a new look in next year's Season 3 (which already wrapped filming). While exact plot details surrounding what brings Fisk back from his tropical paradise remain unclear, it stands to reason that Kingpin may be back in his crime boss era.
How Sheila Rivera Will Replace Kingpin in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3
Fans already know that Brand New Day takes place in late 2028, roughly one year after Born Again Season 2 opened the doors for Sheila Rivera to take power. Notably, Born Again Season 3 will officially begin "six months" after Season 2, placing it before Brand New Day and leaving room for the Disney+ series to explore Rivera's rise and how she changed anti-vigilante attitudes in the city.
However, as Spidey received the Key to the City in the opening montage that flashes through the four years between No Way Home and Brand New Day, Rivera could have bestowed that honor upon him any time between late 2027 and 2028.
Peter Parker's official recognition as a New York superhero for his efforts in tackling crime only makes Matt Murdock's fate that much more tragic. After all, Daredevil's own heroism - taking down criminal operations, fighting the Hand, stopping the serial killer Muse, and assembling a rebellion against the tyrannical Mayor Fisk - instead landed him in prison in Born Again Season 2's finale.
While Born Again Season 3 will dial back on the politics in favor of something a "little more street-level," the New York mayor is still returning and was even spotted on set meeting with Deborah Ann Woll's Karen Page. As Rivera institutes more vigilante-friendly laws across the Big Apple, it's easy to imagine Page doing what she can to negotiate Murdock's release from prison.
Rivera may not be immediately eager to release Daredevil from prison, not just because it would be too easy from a narrative perspective, but because condoning acts of large-scale rebellion could set a dangerous precedent. Regardless, the mayor's differing viewpoints on a darker crime-fighter like Daredevil compared to a symbol of hope like Spider-Man could be interesting to explore in Season 3.
Find out the other Born Again baddie is getting a female replacement in Season 3.
