Written By Mikey Sutton • Editor-in-Chief • Owner
Marvel Studios will reportedly announce Jon Bernthal’s new Punisher series at D23. According to a “new” rumor, the Punisher reboot will be R-rated like the original Netflix series. Specifically, that’s TV-MA, television’s equivalent.
If accurate, this confirms my original leak.
On March 2, I revealed that Marvel Studios won’t water down their Punisher show on Disney Plus. Nevertheless, some fans remained skeptical. After all, it’s Disney. On the other hand, Disney Plus began streaming the adult Marvel programs from Netflix without trimming them. Instead, they’re under a parental lock.
They’ll do the same for the Punisher’s return.
Also, our friends over at Small Screen reported in September 2021 that a Hard R Punisher series was in the works at Disney.
You can check out the video below that has details on what the series is actually about, as well as Charlie Cox’ negotiations (that have obviously ended), Krysten Ritter’s negotiations and Jon Bernthal’s heated negotiations with Marvel.
It seems like every day a new anonymous twitter scooper pops up recycling all these past scoops we and others have reported on. The account this rumor comes from also recycled my Heroes For Hire scoop from February 16th, 2021.
Jon Bernthal’s New Punisher Series To Be Announced At D23
At SDCC, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige still had weapons of mass destruction left over. Indeed, dropping two Avengers films, an 18-episode Daredevil show, and The Fantastic Four wasn’t enough. Perhaps Feige thought Henry Cavill would show up for DC Films and brought his army.
Cavill skipped but Feige delivered.
However, he isn’t done.
Feige will unleash more goodies at D23 Expo 2022 on September. That’s Disney’s own event. Reportedly, Marvel Studios will unveil The Punisher.
Without a doubt, Daredevil is back so the Punisher had to be coming.
Although the report doesn’t give details, we may know some of it already. That is, if Marvel Studios hasn’t changed them.
On March 2, I said their plan was to call it Punisher War Journal. In other words, they’re naming it after one of Marvel Comics’ classic Punisher books. In fact, comics legend Jim Lee drew some issues in his boyish days.
Will they keep it? I don’t know. Certainly, it’d easily separate itself from the Netflix version.
Jon Bernthal’s New Punisher Series To Be Announced At D23
Given that goal, expect recastings. For example, Jigsaw will look closer to his comic-book roots. Nevertheless, they won’t replace Jon Bernthal. Undoubtedly, for millions of viewers, Jon Bernthal is the Punisher. In an interview, Bernthal said:
A lot of people ask me about playing Frank Castle, and the character is very much in my bones and in my heart. For me it’s not about getting the opportunity to play him again, it’s about getting the character right, with the right script and with the right people behind it.
But what about the Punisher’s infamous skull logo? Sources told me on February 10, 2021, that Marvel Studios won’t remove it.
Writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru co-created the Punisher. He debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man No. 129 in 1974. At the time, the Punisher was a Spider-Man villain.