Vincent D'Onofrio Is The Kingpin In 'Daredevil'

Depite making his first big splash as the withdrawn and disturbed Private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket, Vincent D'Onofrio has become best-known for upholding the cause of righteousness on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. But now he'll bounce back to the other side of the legal fence as he takes the role of Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin of Crime, on the Marvel Studios show Daredevil.

The most recent screen incarnation of the Kingpin was played by the late Michael Clarke Duncan in the 2003 film Daredevil. Presumably, D'Onofrio's version of the character will show up not only in Daredevil, but also in the other Marvel series to air on Netflix: Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and possibly the team-up miniseries The Defenders.

This is hardly D'Onofrio's first brush with superheroes and villains. He was offered the Doctor Octopus role as Sam Raimi was beginning to make Spider-Man, and turned it down. He also turned away from Wolverine, and The Rocketeer.

Here's the release from Marvel:

Marvel and Netflix are proud to announce that acclaimed actor Vincent D'Onofrio has joined "Marvel's Daredevil," an all-new 13-episode series premiering on Netflix in 2015. Best known for his critically-lauded work in "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Men in Black, "Full Metal Jacket" and "Homicide," D'Onofrio will play Wilson Fisk, a powerful businessman whose interests in the future of Hell's Kitchen will bring him into conflict with the blind attorney Matt Murdock and his alter ego Daredevil.D'Onofrio joins Charlie Cox, previously announced as Matt Murdock, in the exciting cast of "Marvel's Daredevil.""We're incredibly proud to have an actor with the gravitas and versatility of Vincent joining 'Marvel's Daredevil' in such an integral role," said Jeph Loeb, Marvel's Head of Television. "Wilson Fisk is an iconic villain whose cunning and power make him the dangerous equal of our hero.""Marvel's Daredevil" follows the journey of Matt Murdock, who was blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, now fighting against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the super hero Daredevil in modern day Hell's Kitchen, New York City.Marvel's first original series on Netflix is Executive Produced by series Showrunner Steven S. DeKnight ("Spartacus", "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer", "Angel") and Drew Goddard ("Cabin in the Woods," "Lost," "Buffy The Vampire Slayer," in addition to writing the first two episodes of "Marvel's Daredevil"), along with Marvel TV's Jeph Loeb ("Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," "Smallville," "Heroes")."Marvel's Daredevil" is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix.