Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin is set to play a major part in Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again, and it seems his new role will make him scarier than ever.
Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, returned to the MCU in Hawkeye after a three-year absence since Netflix's Daredevil was canceled. Although the New York crime boss came back with four major changes from the Netflix series.
Kingpin is now set for two starring roles on Disney+ in 2024 in both the recently-delayed Echo and Daredevil: Born Again. Many are also hoping to see D'Onofrio in Spider-Man 4 but a recent update seemed to cast doubt on that.
Disney+'s Daredevil Reveals Kingpin's Terrifying New Goal
New set photos from Daredevil: Born Again featured what looks to be a campaign rally taking place in New York's Time Square. Interestingly, one extra can be seen carrying a blue foam fist marked "Fisk" in reference to Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin.
The presence of a Fisk-branded foam hand - just like those often used in real political campaigns - indicates that Kingpin will be running for office in Born Again, likely taking on the role of a New York City mayoral candidate. Although the series may not explicitly mention a political party, the blue branding likely means he will run as a Democrat.
Further photos revealed a digital billboard for Fisk's campaign behind a green screen that rotates between two images. One shows the crime boss with various people, while the other resembles a comic panel with blue-tinted art of Fisk and a curious message about "the choice between good and evil:"
"The choice between good and evil rises and falls within you... Like swells rolling in on the tide. Which will you choose? The crest or the trough?"
The scene appears to bear a close resemblance to one from Marvel Comics' Daredevil #595 in which Kingpin won his mayoral election. That moment also took place in Time Square and saw Fisk's supporters swarming the intersection while Matt Murdock looked on in shock.
A previous rumor claimed Fisk would pursue a mayoral campaign when he next appears in the Hawkeye spin-off Echo which is set to lead directly into his starring role in the Daredevil reboot. Perhaps Kingpin's political pursuit will be the connective tissue between the two linked street-level Disney+ series.
The apparent campaign rally scene also featured several references to Ant-Man's Pym van Dyne Foundation, indicating its potential involvement in sponsoring Fisk's event and possibly his campaign as a whole.
Why Kingpin's Campaign Could Set Up a Major MCU Crossover
For the most part, Wilson Fisk didn't have too much going on when he showed up in the climactic episodes of Hawkeye. There were no signs of a larger plan or political aspirations, the crime boss was instead just focused on running his criminal empire while having to deal with an Avenger looking into his business.
But by the end of the Disney+ finale, Fisk had taken a beatdown from Kate Bishop, had the police going after him, and seemingly got shot by Echo, which will apparently leave him with an eyepatch when he next surfaces. So, what's Kingpin up to now that would push him towards politics and the mayoral office?
In Netflix's Daredevil, Wilson Fisk took himself out of the shadows and into the public eye as a businessman pledging aid to Hell's Kitchen and speaking out against violence, corruption, and masked vigilantes. Six years later in Hawkeye, Kingpin returned to the shadows, perhaps due to the Blip's toll on his empire.
With Fisk now running a political campaign, he will likely push a similar agenda once again, although this time in the pursuit of actual power to bring about change as the mayor of New York City. And if he were to win, who knows how much trouble he could cause for the heroes and citizens of the city.
The recent "Devil's Reign" comic event saw the elected Major Fisk outlawing costumed vigilantes in New York City, bringing about conflict with street-level heroes and members of the Avengers. A similar story may well be on the way, effectively making Kingpin the big bad of the MCU's current street-level stories.
This would explain his serving as the through-line between Hawkeye, Echo, Daredevil, and maybe even Spider-Man 4 which has been rumored to follow the aftermath of Born Again. Perhaps the wall-crawler sequel could even unite several street-level heroes against Kingpin to finally take him down.
Daredevil: Born Again is expected to hit Disney+ in Spring 2024.
