Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Spider-Man: Brand New Day!The Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps linking Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to its biggest street-level New York characters, and a Kingpin crossover is closer than ever after Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s reference to Wilson Fisk. A meeting between one of New York’s biggest criminals and heroes has been one of the most fan-requested ideas for the MCU over the last decade, but they’ve still yet to meet even as both keep appearing in Marvel Studios projects.
There was hope that Brand New Day would change that as it moved through development. The smaller focus paved the way for Spider-Man to fight several New York crime bosses, such as Boomerang, Tarantula, Tombstone, and The Hand. Having him crack down on Fisk, who became the mayor of New York in Daredevil: Born Again and utilized martial law, made sense as a way to incorporate Vincent D’Onofrio’s character.
Yet, Kingpin does not have a physical presence in Brand New Day. It’s understandable to some degree after he was forced to resign as mayor and was exiled in Daredevil: Born Again season 2’s finale. But that did not stop Marvel from referencing Fisk’s reign in Spider-Man’s movie completely.
When Peter goes into the alley by his apartment to test his inhibitor chip, a poster from Fisk’s time as mayor, promoting Making NYC Safe and his anti-vigilante agenda, is seen plastered on a garbage can. It might not be much, but it’s the first time an MCU movie has acknowledged Kingpin, and the proximity to Spider-Man hopefully means the two characters are on the verge of meeting after Brand New Day.
The MCU Has Been Setting Up A Spider-Man & Kingpin Showdown For Years Now
Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin in Daredevil Born Again
While Spider-Man’s MCU movies didn’t reference the Defenders-verse early on (and the Netflix shows were unable to tie in Spidey), Marvel Studios has looked to merge these worlds over the last several years.
This started with Charlie Cox having a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. Peter is unaware of Matt’s vigilante lifestyle in the movie, only knowing that there is more to the blind “really good lawyer” after he catches a brick coming through the window. Considering Daredevil’s battles with Kingpin across Daredevil and Daredevil: Born Again, Peter and Matt’s meeting was seen as the first step toward a proper superhero team-up.
Rather than Brand New Day deliver on that pairing, Spider-Man teamed up with Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, another Netflix casting that has carried over to the MCU. Frank Castle has his own history with Kingpin, but he doesn’t discuss this with Peter in the movie. But by giving Spider-Man a second Daredevil character crossover, placing the Fisk poster as a Brand New Day Easter egg must have been done with an endgame in sight.
After all, Marvel even managed to include a Spider-Man reference in Daredevil: Born Again season 1 straight from Fisk’s mouth. In his acceptance speech to being elected mayor, Fisk sold his anti-vigilante stance by remarking, “We don’t need a gun-toting vigilante who wears a skull on his chest, or a man who dresses in a spider outfit, or a guy who wears devil horns to save us.” Punisher and Daredevil have already had a hand in fighting against Fisk since these comments, but Spider-Man hasn’t.
Kingpin’s Movie Rights Have Held Up A Spider-Man Crossover For Years, But They Might Not Anymore
Vincent D’Onofrio in a white powerful suit as Wilson Fisk Kingpin in Daredevil Born Again season 2
The main reason that Kingpin and Spider-Man haven’t met on screen already has been believed to be due to rights issues. Marvel knows how badly fans want to see the characters together, and both Holland and D’Onofrio have expressed a desire to make it happen. Whenever its been brought up in the past, the character’s duel ownership between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures has been presented as a problem (even though they are working together on these Spider-Man movies).
Marvel Studios seems to have the rights to Fisk in live-action on TV, but Sony is seemingly in charge of him on the big screen. That’s how Marvel could put him in shows like Hawkeye and Daredevil: Born Again, while Sony included him in animation for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. That’s why D’Onofrio’s comments about being in Spider-Man movies often are discouraging, such as saying the following in 2024:
The only thing I know is not positive, it’s a very hard thing to do for Marvel to use my character. It’s a very hard thing to do because of ownership and stuff. Right now, I’m only usable for television series, different kinds of series, whatever it is, but not even a one-off Fisk movie or anything like that. It’s all caught up in rights and stuff. I don’t know when that would work out, or if it would ever work out at all, actually, really…
However, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige has said that Kingpin’s rights issues aren’t as complicated as D’Onofrio has indicated. During press for Brand New Day, Feige told Joshua Horowitz, “They’re not, they’re not. I mean, there are things to navigate like everything else, but we did [talk about it].” The comment is a notable change of tune regarding Kingpin’s potential to be in a future Spider-Man movie, which feels much more positive after Brand New Day referenced him with the poster.
Perhaps this is why D’Onofrio has even had some more optimism about playing Kingpin in MCU movies. In 2025, he said, “I think that will eventually happen… I can’t imagine that they won’t figure out something eventually. We’ll see.” It may have been too difficult to make it work for Brand New Day, but perhaps the discussions Feige teased led to an understanding between Sony and Marvel for how it could happen next time.
Spider-Man 5 Is The Perfect Time To Have Spider-Man & Kingpin Meet
Spider-Man in close-up flying through the sky in Brand New Day
Given the record-breaking success of Brand New Day, Marvel and Sony are unlikely to mess with the approach for Spider-Man 5. The film should give viewers another New York-based, street-level story that dives deeper in the personal, psychological, and emotional challenges of being Spider-Man for Peter. And after briefly teasing Spider-Man defeating so many crime bosses, Kingpin rising to the top again for Spider-Man 5 would line up.
The movie is certainly a few years away, at least, which could free up Kingpin’s story to do whatever the creators want for Spider-Man 5. Daredevil: Born Again is only confirmed to run through season 3 next year, and even if another season comes after, the series will likely end before Spider-Man 5 is ready. That would give the MCU a bit of time to wrap up a chapter of Kingpin’s life on the small screen and set up his joining the big leagues next.
Friendly Neighborhood Assessment · MCU Era Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Trivia
🏠Homecoming2017
✈️Far From Home2019
🌌No Way Home2021
😈VillainsSinister…
🤖MCUAvengers
01
Before getting his own solo film, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut by being recruited by Tony Stark to help in a massive superhero conflict. In which MCU film did Holland first appear as Spider-Man?
✓ Correct! Tom Holland first appeared as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War (2016), where Tony Stark visits Peter in Queens and recruits him for the airport battle against Team Cap. His quippy, starstruck portrayal instantly won over audiences.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Captain America: Civil War. Holland debuted in the 2016 film before Homecoming (2017). He was recruited by Tony Stark for the iconic airport fight scene, stealing Captain America’s shield with his webs in one of the film’s most memorable moments.
02
In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter faces a blue-collar salvage contractor who turned to arms dealing after being shut out of the Chitauri cleanup by Damage Control. Using an alien-tech wingsuit, he becomes one of Spider-Man’s most grounded villains. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Adrian Toomes, played brilliantly by Michael Keaton, is the Vulture — a working-class father who builds a criminal empire selling alien-derived weapons. The twist that he’s the father of Peter’s date Liz is one of the MCU’s best surprises.
✗ Web miss! The answer is The Vulture (Adrian Toomes). The Shocker and Tinkerer are his henchmen in the film, and Scorpion (Mac Gargan) only briefly appears. Toomes is the main antagonist who personally confronts Peter in the unforgettable car ride scene.
03
Tony Stark built Peter a high-tech suit loaded with features Peter didn’t even know about, including an AI assistant that helps him in combat, provides tactical analysis, and even gives dating advice. What name does Peter give this AI?
✓ Correct! Peter names his suit’s AI “Karen,” voiced by Jennifer Connelly. She assists him with web shooter modes, reconnaissance, and even his love life. Friday is Tony Stark’s AI, and E.D.I.T.H. is the Stark satellite system that appears in Far From Home.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Karen. Friday is Tony Stark’s personal AI, E.D.I.T.H. is the Stark defense satellite Peter inherits in Far From Home, and Jocasta is an AI from the comics. Karen, voiced by Jennifer Connelly, is Peter’s suit assistant throughout Homecoming.
04
In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter encounters a seemingly heroic figure who claims to be from an alternate Earth, battling elemental creatures across Europe. In reality, he’s a disgruntled former Stark Industries employee using advanced holographic drones. What is his real name?
✓ Correct! Quentin Beck, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is Mysterio — a master of illusion who uses Stark Industries’ B.A.R.F. holographic technology and weaponized drones to fabricate the Elementals and pose as a hero. His final act of revenge shapes the entire third film.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Quentin Beck. William Ginter Riva is one of Beck’s team members, Aldrich Killian is the villain of Iron Man 3, and Justin Hammer is from Iron Man 2. Beck is Mysterio, the illusionist who manipulated Peter’s trust across Europe.
05
In one of the MCU’s most shocking mid-credits scenes, J. Jonah Jameson broadcasts doctored footage from Mysterio’s final moments that completely upends Peter Parker’s life. What does this broadcast reveal to the entire world?
✓ Correct! Mysterio’s doctored footage, broadcast by J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons reprising his iconic role), exposes Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker to the entire world. This revelation drives the entire plot of No Way Home as Peter desperately seeks to undo the damage.
✗ Web miss! The answer is that Spider-Man is Peter Parker. While the footage also frames Spider-Man for the London drone attack, the earth-shattering reveal is Peter’s unmasked identity being broadcast globally by The Daily Bugle’s J. Jonah Jameson.
06
With his identity exposed and his loved ones under threat, Peter seeks help from a powerful sorcerer to cast a spell that would make the world forget he is Spider-Man. Peter’s constant modifications to the spell cause it to fracture the multiverse. Which sorcerer casts this spell?
✓ Correct! Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) casts the memory-wiping spell at Peter’s request, but Peter keeps asking for exceptions — for MJ, Ned, May, and Happy to still remember him. These constant changes corrupt the spell and tear open the multiverse, pulling in villains from other Spider-Man universes.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Doctor Strange. While Wong is the Sorcerer Supreme and actually warns Strange against it, it is Stephen Strange who agrees to cast the spell. Wanda’s multiverse interference occurs in Multiverse of Madness, not here.
07
Throughout all three films, Peter’s loyal best friend serves as his “guy in the chair,” helping with tech support and keeping his secret. In No Way Home, this character even discovers he can open magical portals using a Sling Ring. Who is Peter’s best friend?
✓ Correct! Ned Leeds, played by Jacob Batalon, is Peter’s best friend and self-proclaimed “guy in the chair.” He discovers Peter’s secret identity in Homecoming, supports him across all three films, and in No Way Home he accidentally uses Doctor Strange’s Sling Ring to open portals to other Spider-Men.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Ned Leeds. Flash Thompson is Peter’s rival and bully who ironically idolizes Spider-Man. Harry Osborn is Peter’s friend in the Raimi and Webb films but doesn’t appear in Holland’s trilogy. Miles Morales is only hinted at. Ned is the irreplaceable “guy in the chair.”
08
At the emotional climax of No Way Home, Peter makes an enormous personal sacrifice to save the multiverse. Doctor Strange completes the spell, and when it takes effect, Peter is left completely alone. What does the final spell do?
✓ Correct! The final spell makes every person in every universe forget that Peter Parker exists. MJ, Ned, Happy, the Avengers — everyone. Peter visits MJ at the coffee shop afterward but decides not to re-introduce himself, choosing to protect them. He starts over completely alone, sewing his own suit in a small apartment.
✗ Web miss! The answer is that everyone forgets who Peter Parker is. The spell doesn’t erase Spider-Man — people still know the hero exists — but nobody remembers Peter Parker the person. This devastating sacrifice means MJ, Ned, and even Happy Hogan have no memory of him at all.
Assessment Complete Your Spider-Sense Rating
/ 8
Are you an Avenger — or just a friendly neighborhood bystander?
Kingpin would also act as a natural choice to appear after Daredevil and Punisher’s roles in the previous two films. They could both return to team up with Spider-Man and use their combined skills to try and stop Fisk once and for all. Spider-Man 5 would then act as the (possibly culminating) event film for everything Marvel has been doing in New York’s streets over the years.
Even if a main villain role can’t happen for some reason, hopefully, Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s Kingpin reference will at least secure some type of appearance from D’Onofrio’s character in the sequel that puts him on screen with Holland’s web-slinger at last.
Release Date
July 29, 2026
Runtime
145 minutes
Writers
Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers
Producers
Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Amy Pascal, David Cain
