The battle between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk has been going on for more than ten years. Daredevil: Born Again is now filming its third season, and new pictures from the set have shown a very different looking Kingpin. Vincent D’Onofrio returns as the crime boss, but he now has a long white beard and wears simple, tired clothes. This new look suggests that Fisk has hit a very low point after losing his wife, Vanessa. However, even with this major change, many fans are speaking up. They are asking the show to bench Kingpin for a while and bring in a fresh villain for the hero to fight.
Why Fans Want Wilson Fisk to Take a Break
Wilson Fisk has been the main bad guy for Charlie Cox‘s Daredevil since the very beginning in 2015. Out of all the seasons of the show, only one season featured a different central villain. Because of this long history, some viewers feel tired of the same fight. They want to see Matt Murdock face a new challenge that does not involve the Kingpin.
One fan on Reddit shared a thought that many others seem to agree with. The person wrote:
“As much as I like Vincent D’Onofrio, I was honestly hoping that the series would just bench Kingpin for a bit.”
This feeling is not about hating the actor or the character. Instead, it comes from a wish to see the story grow in new directions. With Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 already being filmed, fans hope that Fisk will have a very small role. They want the spotlight to move to another villain from the Marvel comics who has not been on screen yet.
Kingpin’s Big Change After Vanessa’s Death
The reason for Fisk’s broken new look comes from a sad event in Season 2. In the sixth episode, Vanessa Fisk dies. This loss destroys Wilson Fisk completely. The set photos from Season 3 show a man who has stopped caring about himself. He is not wearing his famous white suit. Instead, he wears a dark coat and a beanie, and his beard is overgrown and messy.
Vincent D’Onofrio spoke about how this grief affects his character. He said:
“A lot of that is going to be answered in Season 3, which we’re about to start shooting. But I think it damages him in a deep, deep way. And I think that it’s going to take some doing to shock himself out of that somehow.”
The actor also explained that Vanessa was the only person who saw the real Wilson Fisk. Without her, the character has no reason to keep up his strong image. This opens the door for the show to reduce his role. A broken man hiding in the shadows does not need to be the main focus of every episode.
What the Set Photos Reveal About Season 3
The pictures taken on the streets of New York City show more than just Fisk’s new beard. In the background, there are campaign posters for a character named Sheila Rivera. This matches what fans saw in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer. It seems that Fisk is no longer the mayor of New York. His political power is gone.
Other set photos have also shown the return of Mike Colter as Luke Cage, Finn Jones as Iron Fist, and Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones. These heroes are coming back to help fight. This large group of characters means the story has many directions to explore. The show does not need to depend only on the fight between Matt and Fisk.
One photo even showed Charlie Cox wearing an orange prison uniform. This suggests that Matt Murdock might go to jail at the end of Season 2. If Matt is in prison and Fisk is hiding in grief, the third season has a perfect reason to keep the two men apart for a while.
The Show’s Release Schedule
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 has two episodes left to air. The finale will arrive on May 5, 2026. After that, the team will keep working on Season 3. Based on the current production schedule, the new season is expected to arrive on Disney+ in March 2027.
For viewers around the world, the show will be available on Disney+ in most countries. Indian audiences can watch on Disney+ Hotstar with both English and Hindi audio options.
A New Villain Would Refresh the Story
The argument to bench Kingpin is not new. Vincent D’Onofrio has played this role for 11 years. He has done an amazing job, and many fans love him. But the Marvel world is very big. There are many other bad guys from the Daredevil comics who have never appeared on screen.
A new villain would bring a fresh energy to the show. It would force Matt Murdock to think and fight in new ways. It would also give the writers a chance to explore different types of crime and evil in New York City. After more than a decade of the same face, a change would feel good for the audience.
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Where the Kingpin Stands Right Now
While fans hope for a break, the set photos confirm that Vincent D’Onofrio is still working on Season 3. The character is not gone. However, his broken mental state and his new, hidden look suggest that he might not be the main focus. He could appear only a few times to show his slow recovery or his final fall.
This would be a smart move for the show. It would keep the door open for Fisk to return later with more anger and power. But for one season, the spotlight could move to another villain. The Defenders (Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist) are coming back, and they need a strong enemy to fight.
One fan on X described the feeling of seeing the new photos:
“Seeing Kingpin like this is shocking. He looks like a homeless man, not the ruler of New York’s underworld.”
This shock proves that the character is in a very different place. It is the perfect time for the show to let him rest and for Daredevil to find a new war to fight. Whether the writers will bench Kingpin or not remains to be seen. But the voices of the fans are getting louder with each new image from the set.
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