Introduction
Now that Kingpin is being teased in Hawkeye, it will be debated whether he is the same version from Daredevil or a re-launched version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Speculation was rife that Wilson Fisk might appear on the Disney+ show months before its release. This was largely due to Kingpin’s association with Maya Lopez aka Echo in comedy. With the MCU appearing to follow the same story and possibly bringing back Vincent D’Onofrio to play him, Hawkeye reopens a long debate.
Vincent D’Onofrio has not been confirmed for his return as Kingpin at the MCU, but Hawkeye Episode 3 mocked that his return was coming. Fisk’s plans began with a flashback when the Echo was a child and the hand of his father’s strong colleagues. A beautiful black suit and visual humor were all needed for the guesswork to go up with Kingpin’s return. It is now widely believed that he is the unnamed uncle of Echo based on those jokes and his comedy history with Maya. Rumors have long been circulating that this could happen to Hawkeye when Vincent D’Onofrio returns to the role after playing Kingpin in all three Daredevil seasons. This may have happened after D’Onofrio’s Kingpin became one of Marvel TV’s leading actors and led to Daredevil fans crying out for him to return in a certain way.
It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. This may be due to Fisk’s possible future for MCU and the possibility that he will appear at the Echo spinoff show and in other Marvel Studios productions. However, restoring Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin is easier than it appears on paper, as there are major consequences depending on whether the Hawkeye Kingpin is the same version the audience has ever experienced before.
Is The Kingpin In Hawkeye Gonna Be The Same One From Daredevil?
Of the two options for Hawkeye’s Kingpin in either a reboot or a continuation of the Daredevil version, a reboot is the best option for the MCU to follow. This allows Marvel Studios to keep Vincent D’Onofrio close and give him plenty of opportunities to deliver as good as Fisk without having to worry about Daredevil’s progress. The reboot gives the MCU more creative freedom with the Kingpin role of the MCU, like Fisk purchasing the Avengers Tower. There is also the possibility of changing Kingpin’s appearance a bit by using various techniques to make him physically bigger as a comedian, which Netflix shows he could not do due to budget constraints.
While the re-launch has stripped Hawkeye’s Kingpin of three excellent Daredevil seasons, going straight to this continuation is a much bigger issue than how it affected Wilson Fisk. Ensuring that Hawkeye’s Kingpin is similar to the Daredevil version makes the entire Marvel’s Netflix show canon jointly. That would mean that all actors, actors, and events are now part of the MCU canon. Ripple effects are not limited to Netflix, however, as the Marvel TV product connects and makes Agents of SHIELD, Agent Carter, Runaways, Cloak & Dagger, and possibly the Inhumans MCU canon. While it would be nice if some of these topics were officially validated as the MCU canon, it also raises additional questions about the timeline, variety, and more. Because of this, Hawkeye is better at re-launching Kingpin than continuing the version that last appeared in Daredevil, but at least Vincent D’Onofrio should still be playing him.
