Vincent D’Onofrio has revealed he can no longer undergo the physical transformation required to play Kingpin in Marvel’s television series. During an appearance on the "Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum" podcast, the 66-year-old actor explained that maintaining the weight and wearing the tight, heavy suit for the role has become unsustainable for health reasons. "I can’t do that kind of stuff anymore," he said, noting that the suit is "more than heavy, it’s hot and tight," covering his entire body down to his ankles and wrists.
D’Onofrio first portrayed Kingpin in the Netflix series "Daredevil" (2015–2018) and reprised the role in "Hawkeye" and "Echo." He most recently played the character in "Daredevil: Born Again." The actor described Kingpin as a "very manipulative" and "monstrous" yet "interesting" character to portray.
Separately, D’Onofrio addressed the possibility of Kingpin appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In an interview with GQ, he clarified that licensing issues currently prevent his character from appearing in "Avengers: Doomsday" (2026) or "Avengers: Secret Wars" (2027). "They don’t have the rights," he said, though he remains hopeful for future opportunities. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, a fan of the "Daredevil" series, has been supportive of bringing Kingpin to the big screen.
The actor emphasized that while Marvel has navigated complex licensing agreements before—such as including Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in "Spider-Man: No Way Home"—Kingpin’s inclusion in MCU films remains uncertain.