Despite not coming directly from Marvel Studios, Netflix's Daredevil has long proven to be among the most beloved and highly regarded entries in Marvel lore. Between the writing, acting, and story, there are many factors that led to the success of the mature series, but among the biggest reasons was Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, the big-bad crime boss of the Marvel world.
Ever since the popular series was canceled amid the shutdown of Marvel TV, fans have been eager to see Daredevil and Kingpin return to the MCU. Fortunately, those wishes were granted last year as Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock popped up in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and D'Onofrio's Kingpin was revealed to be the big bad of Hawkeye in the same week.
Wilson Fisk proved to be the silent leader behind the Tracksuit Mafia, the boss of Alaqua Cox's Maya Lopez, and the one to have ordered her father's killing. As such, Hawkeye ended with Lopez appearing to make an attempt on Kingpin's life, setting the stage for her own Disney+ spin-off: Echo.
The upcoming series just recently began production in April, and both Daredevil and Kingpin have been reported to be returning, marking the first reunion of Cox and D'Onofrio under Marvel Studios. Now, amid rumors of his imminent Marvel return, the crime boss actor has taken to the gym to get into Kingpin shape.
Kingpin Actor Hits the Gym for MCU Return
In a recent post on Twitter, Marvel's Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, actor Vincent D'Onofrio shared a picture in the gym amid rumors he will reprise his Daredevil and Hawkeye role in Disney+'s Echo. Alongside the mirror selfie, D'Onofrio pointed out his age saying: "63 but who's counting #NoFearNoGreedNoEnvy."
D'Onofrio has previously been reported to return as Kingpin alongside Charlie Cox's Daredevil in Echo, which began filming in April. The Kingpin actor can be seen sporting a beard in the picture, something that D'Onofrio often has, except when he's playing his Marvel character, indicating he has either wrapped on Echo or has yet to begin filming.
How Will Kingpin Fit Into Echo?
Marvel Studios' Hawkeye spin-off Echo began filming on April 21, just under two months ago, and there has not been any sign of Vincent D'Onofrio appearing on set. Charlie Cox's return remains equally shrouded in mystery, however, one scooper reported the Daredevil actor would be on set in late May, so perhaps his role has already been filmed secretly.
D'Onofrio frequently shared pictures and videos of himself on Twitter, and he has continued to sport his beard in all his posts since Echo began production in late April. So, unless Kingpin has grown a beard since Maya Lopez made an attempt on his life in the Hawkeye finale, then his involvement may be yet to begin.
However, ahead of filming Hawkeye, D'Onofrio revealed he had to gain around 20 pounds to achieve the crime boss' iconic "round face," and yet he now looks to be getting into shape. The actor did previously explain how this was becoming increasingly difficult to do as he gets older, so perhaps Marvel Studios will use other means to create Kingpin's larger size this time around.
Hawkeye previously began filming in December 2020 and concluded in April 2021 before conducting reshoots in September 2021. With Echo also being a six-episode street-level MCU series, the spin-off ought to similarly film for roughly four to five months, indicating it may wrap up filming in late summer or early fall.
If this estimated filming window were to prove accurate, D'Onofrio and Cox still have roughly three more months to take to the Echo set to film their scenes. Since Echo and Kingpin have such an entangled history, D'Onofrio may appear in both flashbacks and present-day, which may explain how Daredevil ties into things as he goes up against Wilson Fisk's criminal empire once again.
With Daredevil reportedly set for a revival at Disney+, the future looks bright for both Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock in the MCU. But before then, Charlie Cox's blind hero has been rumored to make his next appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which will premiere on August 17.
Echo has yet to set an official release date, but the Hawkeye spin-off is expected to premiere on Disney+ in early 2023.
