When Marvel Studios created the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it did so with the only characters it could legally use. Therefore, characters like Spider-Man, the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Daredevil were off-limits to join the Avengers. The rights issues to Marvel characters date back to the ’90s after it filed for bankruptcy. As a result, studios like 20th Century Fox were responsible for the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Daredevil corners of the Marvel Universe. At the same time, Sony was responsible for all things Spider-Man. Over time, if a studio didn’t get a project off the ground with the character in time, then the rights would revert to Marvel. This happened with Daredevil in 2012 when 20th Century Fox failed to reboot the character. As a result, Marvel moved forward with a television series for Netflix that would become one of the greatest comic book adaptations to date. Then, after Netflix canceled the series, Marvel Studios was finally able to get its hands on The Man Without Fear in 2020.
Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin is a major reason why Netflix’s Daredevil series is as beloved as it is and he has since appeared in other Marvel shows like Hawkeye and Echo. While many know Kingpin as an adversary of Daredevil, he’s also a major Spider-Man villain. Since D’Onofrio’s Kingpin has been one of the best Marvel villains ever, many fans have craved to see him play a role in a Spider-Man film. As it turns out, the reality of Kingpin appearing in a future Spider-Man film is complicated because of Marvel Studios’ biggest crux.
Kingpin Has Appeared in Past Marvel Films
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Kingpin Film Appearances |
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The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989) |
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Daredevil (2003) |
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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) |
Before D’Onofrio played Wilson Fisk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Kingpin made a few appearances in the film. The Trial of the Incredible Hulk was a television movie in 1989 that spun out of the Hulk series that starred Lou Ferringo and Bill Bixby. In the television movie, both Kingpin and Daredevil made appearances. John Rhys Davies played Fisk in the film, but it wasn’t a faithful adaptation of the source material. For instance, the film never addressed Fisk as Kingpin. The Trial of the Incredible Hulk was meant to launch a Daredevil series that never came to fruition.
It wasn’t until 2003 with 20th Century Fox’s Daredevil that fans received a more accurate depiction of Kingpin with the late Michael Clarke Duncan in the role. Duncan only played Kingpin for one film, but he did reprise the role in MTV’s animated Spider-Man series, operated by Sony. Kingpin’s last film appearance was in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, where he served as the animated film’s main villain, voiced by Liev Schreiber. Kingpin’s history in film is complex since he’s appeared in television movies starring the Hulk, a proper live-action Daredevil film from Fox, and most recently, played a part in an animated Spider-Man movie, making the whereabouts of his use muddled.
Marvel Studios Can Only Use Kingpin in Television
- Kingpin made his first comic book appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #50 from Stan Lee and John Romita Sr in July 1967.
- Sony and Marvel Studios share the rights to the Kingpin character.
While D’Onofrio has had a commanding presence within the MCU, he has yet to appear in a film. Meanwhile, Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock turned up in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and while you would think Kingpin could appear similarly, that’s not the reality. While speaking with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, D’Onofrio revealed it’s difficult for Marvel Studios to use Kingpin in film because of the complicated nature of his rights.
«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. Right now, I’m only usable for television series. Different kinds of series, whatever it is, but not even a one-off Fisk movie or anything like that, it’s all caught up in rights and stuff. I don’t know when that would work out, or if it ever would work out at all, actually.» — Vincent D’Onofrio on the complicated rights to Kingpin.
While Marvel Studios can access most of the pantheon of characters, Sony still holds onto the rights to Spider-Man, and it seems that will be the case for the foreseeable future. In some cases, the two studios also share certain characters, like Jessica Drew. Kingpin falls into that same space, being both a Spider-Man and Daredevil villain, so the use of the character remains complicated. Marvel Studios’ deal with Sony to make Spider-Man part of the MCU has allowed other characters like Iron Man and Doctor Strange to appear in his solo films. Still, it seems Sony has been in full control of Kingpin’s theatrical state since he last turned up in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Kingpin Likely Won’t Appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
- Sony recently announced the next Spider-Man film will have the subtitle Brand New Day.
- Many fans hope the next MCU Spider-Man film is a more street-level story.
Despite the complicated rights issues, Kingpin has still appeared in various Marvel projects over the years. Audiences have seen plenty of Kingpin’s battles with Daredevil, but he has yet to interact with Spider-Man. With Fisk now the mayor of New York City in the MCU, and even alluding to the Wall Crawler in Daredevil: Born Again, it would make sense for him to play a major role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. After the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, fans have been longing for a solo film in the MCU to feature a more street-level story that could easily factor in a Daredevil team up to take down Kingpin.
After D’Onofrio’s recent comments, it seems making Kingpin part of Spider-Man: Brand New Day is off the table. Therefore, it’s unlikely the upcoming film will address the Mayor Fisk storyline unfolding in Daredevil: Born Again beyond a subtle nod. The MCU has been as cohesive as a franchise can be, but in the comics, New York City is the epicenter of the universe with so many heroes established there. Due to rights issues, the MCU has never been able to capture the same crossover potential, in large part because Sony and other studios have held onto the rights of other major heroes, leaving Spider-Man: Brand New Day as another project held back by deals made long ago.
Spider-Man has one of the best rogue galleries in comics, and Kingpin is one of the reasons why. Kingpin is also notably Daredevil’s arch-nemesis, and that has been explored brilliantly in the live-action Daredevil shows. There aren’t many other scenarios in comics where two major characters share a villain like Daredevil and Spider-Man does with Kingpin. So, with the connective tissue of the MCU, it has always felt like a no-brainer for Spider-Man to team up with Daredevil to take down Kingpin.
Unfortunately, Spider-Man cannot appear in a Marvel Studios television series, and Kingpin cannot appear in an MCU film. The MCU has come a long way since its early days with the Fantastic Four and X-Men only recently joining the franchise. While most of the characters are now under Marvel Studios again, there are still some outliers. For example, the Hulk’s rights with Universal have never been clear, which is why 2008 was the last time a solo film hit theaters. Now, legalities prevent a showdown between Kingpin and Spider-Man from happening in the MCU, as well. The only thing fans can hope for now is for Marvel Studios and Sony to agree so a film can pit the two Marvel icons against each other.
