While much of the MCU is now focused on other-worldly affairs, the upcoming Echo and Daredevil: Born Again series have an imposing villain of their own, as Vincent D'Onofrio has been spotted strutting the streets of Atlanta in Kingpin's new but quite familiar outfit.
The last image Marvel fans have of Kingpin came in Hawkeye's finale, where D'Onofrio made his long-awaited return in the role, only now donning a different, albeit still comic book-accurate look, taken straight from Wilson Fisk's floral attire from the Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business. Although D'Onofrio has stated his portrayal of Kingpin hasn't changed since his Netflix days, the hat and cane style was not every fan’s cup of tea, with many demanding the return of a more sober Kingpin.
It seems like those requests will be promptly addressed in Echo based on leaked set pictures. The photos show D'Onofrio sporting the white 3-piece suit and black shirt outfit that’s often used in his Marvel Comics appearances. While one of Kingpin's scenes in Hawkeye does see the character use his signature colors, the Disney Plus series opted to pass on the character’s vest, which often complemented his suits and dress-up montages in Daredevil.
Most strikingly, Kingpin is not shown to be incapacitated in any shape or form. This was a story element that is speculated by many to be a key part of the Echo series in order to adapt the character's blindness after being shot by Maya Lopez in the Hawkeye finale. Wilson Fisk could appear in Echo either in flashback form, showing what part he played in Maya's upbringing, or also in the aftermath of being shot and surviving being nearly killed by his adoptive niece.
For now, She-Hulk will be the first piece of MCU content in line to show how Marvel Studios introduces Daredevil characters into its own storylines, as it remains to be seen how much of the Netflix canon will make it into the Multiverse Saga, or if Matt Murdock and Fisk were dusted during the Blip. In any case, it looks like Disney is fully committed to Daredevil: Born Again, granting the series the longest run of any show produced by Marvel Studios with 18 episodes set to be released in 2024.
With Tom Holland's Spider-Man now being restricted to keeping a lower profile, the other defining aspect of Daredevil could be how Marvel Studios will adapt the gritty and bloody nature of the Netflix series in the future.
Echo will be released on Disney Plus in mid-2023.
Source: Atlanta Filming | Instagram