Key things
- Vincent D'Onofrio hints at adapting Devil's Reign for Daredevil: Born Again.
- The Devil's Reign storyline in the MCU may see the target heroes Kingpin become the mayor.
- D'Onofrio as the Kingpin adds depth to the MCU and could potentially cause a clash with Spider-Man.
Daredevil: Born Again may still be shrouded in mystery for the most part, but fans are one step closer to confirming which of the character's many iconic storylines the show might adapt, and it's one that eagle-eyed fans already saw coming.
Daredevil: Born Again has been on fans' wish lists for years and is Marvel Studios' answer to Marvel Netflix fans Daredevil show calling for the character portrayed by Charlie Cox to be brought back after the rights to all the Marvel characters on the Netflix roster were returned to Disney. Kevin Feige finally confirmed Cox's return and announced Daredevil: Born Again, which got far in the production process before being scrapped for further development. Many other characters from the Netflix era would return in the new iteration of the series, including some iconic villains.
Many fans have long speculated that the MCU could adapt the Devil's Reign storyline from the comics, which saw the Kingpin ascend to the mayor's chair, and now the man behind the muscle himself, Vincent D'Onofrio, has all but confirmed it. As Popverse reported, D'Onofrio was asked about his interest in reprising his role in a future adaptation of the Devil's Reign story at Dragon Con, and his sly answer pretty much gave the game away. “That's a very interesting question. I can't answer that because there's a new season of Daredevil coming out,” D'Onofrio replied before giving another verbal wink to the delighted audience. “I'm sure you understand. Otherwise I'd be just flapping my lips for the next thirty minutes and it would be so much fun, but that's not happening.'
If the upcoming project which Daredevil: Born Again actor insists that he's going beyond the TV violence in the Netflix version to actually adapt Devil's Reign, then things could get really interesting. In the comic book story, Wilson Fisk uses the power of his elected office to outlaw unlicensed heroes and mobilizes recidivism lightning bolts be his enforcers as he takes down many heroes. A lot of the plot points in Devil's Reign are pretty consequential, with at least one major character dead at the end and Luke Cage becoming the new mayor. The original plot is a bit more of an ensemble event than a Daredevil issue, but the general plot structure could certainly be used to great effect in the upcoming Disney+ series.
Despite the name, Daredevil: Born Again will likely never pick up the plot it's named after, as the Netflix-era series has already spawned such a version. With Devil's Reign, there's a lot more new material to work with, especially for D'Onofrio's new MCU antagonist. The Kingpin could even be the perfect new villain for Tom Holland's Spider-Man, and the man himself has spoken at least once about his desire to go toe-to-toe with the webslinger. Using aspects of the Devil's Reign story to make the character more prominent in the MCU would open all kinds of useful doors for a franchise that seems committed to telling more solid stories with upcoming projects. A villain like Kingpin is a great choice for MCU post-Deadpool and Wolverine with projects such as the political thriller inspired Captain America: Brave New World and equally grounded Flashes*. Despite involving powerful characters like the Hulk and the Sentry, these projects give off a very different vibe from the previous onesGame over fare and D'Onofrio are already a perfect fit.
D'Onofrio's genuine interest in the character and his relationship with fans surrounding his reprisal are just some of the reasons why the Netflix creator Daredevil he thinks it is impossible to recast the role of king. If Devil's Reign is will be the order of the day Daredevil: Born Again and other future MCU projects, then there is no better actor to portray a character at the height of his political power and influence. For now, fans will have to sit patiently until the show actually premieres.
Daredevil: Born Again It is currently slated for Disney+ in March 2025.
Source: Popverse