Hawkeye: Vincent D’Onofrio returns as Kingpin in episode 5

The latest episode of Hawk Eye on Disney Plus is one of the MCU’s most epic movies. More than just another interesting entry in Clint Barton’s story, it officially bridges the gap between the mainline MCU and Netflix TV shows, as Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin returns from Daredevil. Hawkeye episode 5 marks a new direction for Marvel TV, opening the door for even more characters to return.

Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin Returns In Hawkeye Episode 5

Yes, that’s right: Vincent D’Onofrio is officially back in the MCU. At the end of episode 5 of Hawkeye, Kate Bishop received a text message with an image of a mysterious threat. It was none other than Wilson Fisk.

Kingpin also seems to be on Hawkeye’s radar, as Clint says, “That’s the guy I’ve been worrying about all this time.” Of course, we’ve never seen the two interact before in the MCU, but it looks like they’ve got history. Fans can expect a big showdown in next week’s final episode, giving Fisk a clearer role than his brief cameo in the season.

This is D’Onofrio’s first time playing the role since the third and final season of Daredevil in 2018. After the show’s cancellation and Disney Plus launch, it looks like the Marvel Netflix shows are no longer available. is more typical. In fact, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn said earlier this year that he considers all of the shows prior to WandaVision to be irregular. However, the return of the Kingpin could quietly reintroduce the Daredevil TV show back to Marvel.

Similarly, this may not be the last time we see Daredevil characters in the MCU. Rumors suggest Charlie Cox will reprise the role of Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home. That’s increasingly likely, as studio head Kevin Feige recently said that Cox will play the MCU’s Daredevil in the future. With both Hawkeye and Spider-Man bringing back Daredevil characters, it looks like a show that was previously considered discontinuous has indeed returned.

For more on Hawkeye, check out our episode 5 post-credit analysis. The rumors also suggest that the trailer for Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness will Screen after Spider-Man’s attribution.