Daredevil vs. Kingpin? Why MCU Phase 4 Must Avoid A Netflix Repeat

Daredevil and Kingpin may be in the MCU, but that doesn’t mean Marvel should pit them against each other. Played by Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio respectively, Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk shared a memorable rivalry in Netflix’s Daredevil TV show. Now, the door is open for the MCU to offer its own take on the Daredevil-Kingpin story.

In a shocking development, Disney+’s Hawkeye series officially added Daredevil’s Kingpin to MCU canon. Shortly after that, Marvel made another potentially game-changing reveal in Spider-Man: No Way Home when it revealed that Charlie Cox’s Daredevil also has a presence in the MCU. Based on a recent leak, it appears that both characters will be on hand when Hawkeye’s Echo (Alaqua Cox) returns for her solo Disney+ series. On top of that, Marvel is reportedly making a Daredevil TV show for the streaming service. For the time being, it’s unclear if the series will be Daredevil season 4 or a proper reboot that starts his story over from scratch. Either way, it won’t be a surprise if Kingpin ends up being involved.

With Echo and possibly Daredevil on the horizon, the two characters crossing paths in the MCU feels inevitable. However, a scenario where they face off as enemies should be avoided. Netflix’s show already went in this direction, and it would be better for Marvel to keep the impact of Daredevil season 3’s ending intact. As a result of The Man Without Fear’s victory over Fisk, the Daredevil vs. Kingpin story feels complete and doesn’t need to be revisited. How Daredevil handled their rivalry makes an MCU retelling of it unnecessary. After all, there’s no real reason why these characters have to be at each other’s throats. There are other villains for Daredevil to fight, and he isn’t the only hero who can bring down Kingpin’s criminal empire.

Daredevil and Kingpin are characters with rich and complex histories that lend Marvel tons of storytelling opportunities that Netflix’s show never had a chance to explore. His villain doesn’t even have to be from his own rogues’ gallery, as Marvel can expand its possibilities by looking outside his comics as well. For this reason, Marvel should look to do something unique rather than focus on a story that’s already been wrapped up in a satisfying way. To this end, Daredevil can square off Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock with someone like the Hood, Silvermane, Mister Fear, the Scourge of the Underworld, or someone else entirely. As for Kingpin, Marvel can let defeating him be Echo’s main goal and not Daredevil’s.

By not making them fight in the MCU, Marvel can use this as a chance to bring out other facets of their characters. Admittedly, finding a way to explain why Daredevil won’t fight Kingpin could pose a narrative challenge, but not one an impossible one. It could be that the two call a truce to fight a common enemy, or Kingpin gets put behind bars by Echo. Regardless, there’s so much that Marvel can do with these characters that Daredevil vs Kingpin doesn’t have to be the MCU’s only option for their futures.