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The beloved actor Vincent D’Onofrio chillingly brought to life Wilson Fisk {#Kingpin} in the Marvel universe and officially ended production on the most talked-about Disney+ show Daredevil: Born Again. The actor took to social media making this thrilling announcement: “That’s a wrap folks. Cannot wait for all you DD fans to experience what we’ve all done for you.” In the accompanying photograph was what appeared to be a behind-the-scenes shot of D’Onofrio on set, with all the menace that the crime lord meant to portray and instill.
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The announcement sent ripples of excitement through the Marvel fandom, whose reactions were either in outright support or some poking fun at the character of villainy portrayed by D’Onofrio. One user joked, “Would I get flagged if I say I hope daredevil beats your ass good?” That actor has been able to endear Kingpin as a love-to-hate character that people cheer for and laugh with. More straightforward comments came screaming back with statements like, “You are the World’s best Super Villain” or “Look forward to your Emmy-level performance.”
There were, however, less celebratory responses. Some fans expressed a bit of cautious optimism, saying: “I say this as a fan as someone who loves the comics and loves the original show; I hated season one, so I’m holding onto hope season 2 is more in line with the original show.” It is all describing the massive expectations placed on the revival of a once-vehemently loved Netflix series under the aegis of Disney.
Sharing the new account of a gritty, street-level story that made the original show an instant fan-favorite, D’Onofrio’s fellow actor Charlie Cox is back as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. The actor’s passion for the role made another voice say, “Your passion and enthusiasm for the role and series is infectious. Thanks for doing such a brilliant job!”
The reminiscing of other titles D’Onofrio was in was brought around on the back of that Instagram post; one commentator said, “I was watching FMJ again last night.. Matt Modine’s performance was excellent,” leaning into the actor’s earlier work on Full Metal Jacket. Another called out, “When is the criminal intent reboot, we need a bald Bobby Goran,” showing that audiences resonate with D’Onofrio’s broader filmography.
The timelines for the production seem to be fast-moving, commented one observant fan, “That was actually quick. Hope there are more episodes in S2.” With Disney staying tight-lipped on the finer details, the disparaging enthusiasm coming from the cast and the fans makes one wonder if Born Again is going to be regarded by Marvel as the crown jewel in Phase 5.
So, while it expands in scope, the MCU puts on a well-earned breath of fresh air via ground-level heroes such as Daredevil and grounded merciless villains such as Kingpin. Being one of the fiercest MCU antagonists ever cast by D’Onofrio’s Kingpin, one can tell by the intoxicated excitement of the actor behind the project that Born Again could possibly be the new gold standard in superhero television.
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The series does not officially have a release date as of now, but with filming completed, one would hope big announcements would go out soon. For now, the announcement by D’Onofrio remains simple but potent as it stoked the air buzz, telling us that after several appearances in Marvel properties, the people still consider Kingpin a glorious villain.