Some Marvel characters have led the cinematic universe into becoming one of the most lucrative franchises in the history of Hollywood, such as Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor. Other heroes are usually suited for solo ventures or the small screen, catering to a narrower audience that craves something a little more specific.
The Punisher is one such character, receiving two unrelated solo films before getting rebooted a third time in the MCU with Netlfix’s Daredevil. While The Punisher has not shied away from violence in any of his live-action depictions, Ray Stevenson was keenly aware of how he wanted to portray his version of the character in a film, in a story that was otherwise concerned with a lot of gratuitous violence.
Ray Stevenson was unaware of The Punisher before he was offered the gig
In an interview with Collider, Ray Stevenson revealed how he was caught off guard by the violence in The Punisher, a character he dove into when the role came his way. However, Garth Ennis’s writing drew the actor to him, which led him to interpret Frank Castle as a broken man. He said:
I wasn’t aware of it to be real honest with you. I came to it when it was first broached to me. In all fairness, when I first read it, I thought, ‘This is just extremely violent. What the hell is this?’
But very quickly Garth Ennis’ writing sucked me right in. I thought, ‘My god, he doesn’t shy away!’ It does raise moral issues and psychological issues and he doesn’t pull away from it. He will throw it in there and commit to it. It was his writing that then brought me in.
Garth Ennis‘s work with The Punisher has been considered to be one of the best for the character. The Punisher that Ray Stevenson ended up playing existed in a violent, almost cartoonish setting, but Stevenson was keen on never selling the action and the brutality of the violence short as he essayed the role of the Punisher.
The Punisher will be returning to the MCU in Daredevil: Born Again
Jon Bernthal distinguished himself with his portrayal of the Punisher in the sophomore outing of Netflix’s Daredevil. Bernthal’s portrayal of the character was widely well-received, with fans eager to see the actor return to essay the role again with the series alums Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson in Daredevil: Born Again.
The Punisher as a character has always been slightly different from his peers in the comics. While there are violent vigilantes in the comics like Daredevil, Moon Knight, and White Tiger, Punisher’s complete lack of powers and reliance on standard-issue guns makes the character very real, especially for a world with superheroes.
Unlike Batman, who has gadgets to rely on a degree of supernatural air around him, The Punisher is jarringly mundane, yet one of the most terrifying characters in superhero mythology.
