Marvel Studios' Hawkeye has been airing for a few weeks now, and audiences are already getting ready for the show's finale; not only that, but everyone is bracing themselves for a reunion with a certain Kingpin of crime: Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk. Last seen in Netflix's Daredevil, the character saw his return in the show's fifth installment.
Admittedly, the initial reveal of the character wasn't too grand, with the first glimpse coming from a shoddy jpg on Kate's phone. However, this was plenty for fans, as it finally confirmed the rumors that have followed the series for weeks now.
What's ironic, it's that this won't be Hailee Steinfeld's first time going up against Kingpin. The actor previously voiced Gwen Stacy in Into the Spider-Verse, where she, alongside the rest of the Spider-People, faced off against Fisk as he tried to bend the Multiverse to his will.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Steinfeld addressed her second time going up against the big guy and what it was like being across from D'Onofrio in the role.
Steinfeld Vs. Kingpin... One More Time
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hawkeye star Hailee Steinfeld, who plays the role of Kate Bishop, talked about the major villain reveal.
The actor immediately noted how "it's a very different experience standing underneath [the villain] and hearing him," when referencing how her character previously went up against Fisk in the animated feature Into the Spider-Verse:
"It's a very different experience standing underneath Vincent and hearing him. To be in his presence is really something... I've been a fan of his for a very long time. It's always amazing to be a part of something with people that you really admire. I'm excited to see people watch it unfold."
She continued, talking about how that last moment with Clint and his reveal "is enough for her to need to come to her senses and figure out how to handle the situation:"
"... this is somebody that she doesn't know much about, but she's been warned. She knows everything she needs to know when she hears Clint say 'this is the guy I've been worried about the whole time.' That right there is enough for her to need to come to her sense and figure out how to handle the situation. If it didn't feel real before, it's real now. After all the partner talk and jokes that have been thrown around, now she has the opportunity to step up to the plate."
The reason for the whole reveal is to act as a vehicle for Kate Bishop to learn that her mother, played by Vera Farmiga, looks to be in cohorts with Vincent D'Onofrio's big bad.
Steinfeld noted that it's "quite the bomb that gets dropped," and how in that moment, Kate no longer has any "idea what her mother is capable of:"
"That is quite the bomb that gets dropped... It's not something that Kate could have ever seen coming. I think that in that moment, we fear for her. I remember reading it and feeling like there is this sense of fear, because we now have no idea what her mother is capable of. But I did feel this sort of confidence in Kate. Although it's only been a couple days, I believe in that moment Kate is far more capable of protecting herself than she might have been just a few days prior. Not to mention she has an Avenger by her side to help her navigate through this!"
Kingpin Is About to See Double in Hawkeye
For many fans, the return of Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin was one of the most anticipated parts of the Hawkeye Disney+ series the moment whispers started making the rounds. It seemed so unlikely then, but now, five episodes in, his re-emegence makes perfect sense.
While many thought his return would amount to just a cameo, likely to set up Echo, it seems Kingpin is set to be more than that. If Steinfeld's words are to be interpreted correctly, both Hawkeyes may end up face-to-face with the man in charge.
But will both make it out alive? Could Marvel have decided to go the whole nine yards and give D'Onofrio's Fisk the ultimate MCU introduction: killing an original Avenger?
Jeremy Renner's future after this series is unknown. So his death could be a possibility; many other original Avengers are off the board, so it's not too crazy an idea. It would also perfectly position Kingpin has an incredibly powerful threat for the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Fans will have to tune in this coming Wednesday, when Hawkeye airs its finale exclusively on Disney+.
