Vincent D’Onofrio is already renowned for playing the iconic villain Kingpin in Daredevil, but the Emmy-nominated actor also has a beloved DC Comics character in his crosshairs. D’Onofrio first played Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin, in the first Season of Daredevil (which originally streamed on Netflix), alongside Charlie Cox as the titular hero. Kingpin played a major role in all three seasons of the adored show, and was the first character from Marvel’s Netflix-verse to make the move to the MCU in Hawkeye, before appearing again in Echo. With D’Onofrio set to make his triumphant return in the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series on Disney+, the actor could also be making a move to Marvel’s biggest competitor.
During a recent appearance at Dragon Con (via @JeremyJLop on X), D’Onofrio revealed the DC Comics character he’s wanted to play on-screen since he was a kid. In his youth, D’Onofrio was a big comic book fan, and collected both DC and Marvel Comics and, as well as the popular heroes like Captain America and Batman, D’Onofrio adored Swamp Thing. And he would love to bring the environmental antihero to live-action life. The actor said:
“I don’t know if you guys are into DC [Comics] like I am. Obviously, I’m into Marvel, too, because that’s my job. My comic books when I was a kid was Captain America, Spider-Man, Swamp Thing, and Batman. So Swamp Thing.”
Vincent D’Onofrio Could Lead the DCU’s Swamp Thing Movie
Created in 1971 by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson, Swamp Thing is a hero/occasional antihero who uses his natural powers to protect the Earth, both from outside forces and humans themselves. Not just a single character, “Swamp Thing'” is a mantle that has been held by many characters over the years, with the most famous being Dr. Alec Holland who, after drowning in a swamp during a research project, was reborn as Swamp Thing.
The pannel at Dragon Con isn’t the first time D’Onofrio has mentioned wanting to play Swamp Thing. After CBR shared a story about why the actor is perfect for the character, D’Onofrio retweeted it, saying “Love this.” The actor then wrote a standalone tweet a few days after reading the article, saying:
“Now I can’t get Alec Holland off my mind.”
D’Onofrio’s dream of playing Swamp Thing could come true in the near future. As part of the company overhaul announced by new co-presidents James Gunn and Peter Safran, the rebooted DCU will feature a Swamp Thing movie in its first phase. It was rumored that Guillermo del Toro was attached to direct the film, but Gunn has revealed that Logan director, James Mangold, will helm the project. Very few details have been released about Swamp Thing, and Mangold hasn’t revealed if he’s cast the leading part yet. While plot details are also scarce, fans are expecting Mangold’s movie to draw from Alan Moore’s immensely successful run of Swamp Thing comics.
Gunn’s movie won’t be the first time the character has been brought to life in live-action. In 1982, director Wes Craven released his Swamp Thing movie, staring Ray Wise as Dr. Alex Holland. Most recently, Prime Video released their own Swamp Thing series. While the series received mixed reviews, the show has built a small but dedicated fan base thanks to its tremendous practical body horror.
Vincent D’Onofrio will reprise the role of Wilson Fisk/Kingpin alongside Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again, which is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in March 2025.