Written By Kieran Bugg
Jon Bernthal returns as the Punisher, but he won’t allow Disney to water down the violent antihero.
First of all, it’s a scoop confirmed for Geekosity founder Mikey Sutton. On September 16, 2019, Sutton scooped that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige wouldn’t recast Netflix’ Defenders, which also included Charlie Cox’ Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s the Kingpin.
However, Disney Plus didn’t exist yet. Thus, either Hulu or FX would’ve ended up with them. Obviously, that all changed with Disney Plus’ launch on November 12, 2019.
On December 6, 2021, Sutton updated his story, revealing Bernthal will appear in Marvel Studios’ new Daredevil: Born Again series. Following his appearances in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Daredevil will finally star in his own TV show once again.
Announced at San Diego Comic-Con last year, Daredevil: Born Again is set to commence filming any day now. Both Cox and D’Onofrio are set to reprise their roles as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk respectively. In addition, they will play pivotal parts in the upcoming Disney Plus spin-off series Echo.
Jon Bernthal Won’t Allow Disney To Ruin Punisher Return
Image: Disney
The Netflix’ Daredevil is considered to be one of the greatest comic-book adaptations of all time. Therefore, it’s no surprise that expectations for this new program is pretty high.
Moreover, it’s been recently revealed that Daredevil won’t be the only hero from the Netflix Marvel shows to return. Four years later, The Hollywood Reporter basically makes it official. Bernthal will reprise his role as the Punisher in Disney Plus’ Daredevil: Born Again. Per THR:
“Jon Bernthal is returning to his most punishing role. The actor will reprise Frank Castle, aka antihero the Punisher, in Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: Born Again for Disney+, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Bernthal joins Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio in the series, which begins shooting in New York this month.”
Undoubtedly, this will generate a lot of online excitement for Daredevil: Born Again. Alas, concerns will be raised as well. When Daredevil appeared on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, some Netflix fans were upset because he wasn’t violent and brooding enough. As if that would be appropriate for a legal comedy.
Then there’s the Kingpin wearing a Hawaiian shirt on Disney Plus’ Hawkeye, which is taken directly from the comic books.
Furthermore, a number of MCU followers bashed She-Hulk: Attorney at Law for not being serious. Of course not. The most popular She-Hulk comics from writers John Byrne and Dan Slott had the same tone.
The click-bait then turned to Jon Bernthal’s the Punisher. Rumors and speculation of a PG-rated Punisher spread online. It’ll get worse now. Don’t believe it. On March 2, 2022, Sutton revealed that Disney Plus will not soften the vigilante.
Jon Bernthal’s portrayal of the emotionally tortured soldier Frank Castle is considered to be the most impactful and accurate to date. In December 2021, he emphasized that he wouldn’t approve a depiction of the character without those standards:
“It needs to be a level of darkness. I think if there’s any let up on that character, you do a disservice to the character, to every iteration of the character, to every comic book that’s come before, and to all of the unbelievable fans of the character. This character means so much to people in the military. So like I said before, it’s not about whether you do the character; it’s about whether you can do it right, and I’m only interested in doing it right.”
Jon Bernthal Won’t Allow Disney To Ruin Punisher Return
Image: Disney
While it’s highly unlikely Daredevil: Born Again will utilize his Netflix continuity, all that matters is that it keeps his brutal essence.
Jon Bernthal makes sure of that.
Welcome back, Frank.