Jon Bernthal made his MCU debut with the Netflix/Marvel show Daredevil, where he played the role of Frank Castle a.k.a The Punisher. The violent ex-military man was welcomed with open arms by the fans of the already well-received show and he got himself a spinoff based on the popular anti-hero. Netflix’s The Punisher ran for two seasons before being canceled along with other Netflix/Marvel shows such as Daredevil, Luke Cage, and more.
With Charlie Cox’s Daredevil: Born Again all set to begin filming again, it was announced that popular characters from the original series such as Bernthal, Deborah Ann Woll, and Elden Henson were returning for the Disney Plus series. Though there was a rumor that Bernthal’s Punisher would only appear in one episode of the show, a popular scooper denied the rumors, leading fans to speculate if the actor would appear in more episodes or none.
Also read: 2 Netflix Shows Recently Made MCU Canon Got Major Boost in Viewership Due to Echo
Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Is Set To Appear In Daredevil: Born Again
Actor Jon Bernthal was known for his leading role in the AMC horror series The Walking Dead and appeared in films such as The Wolf of Wall Street, Sicario, and The Accountant. He debuted as Frank Castle, a violent mercenary who clashes with Charlie Cox’s Daredevil as he tries to exact revenge in the second season of the Netflix/Marvel show Daredevil.
Bernthal’s performance as the disturbed and violent Punisher was acclaimed by audiences and a spinoff show called The Punisher was greenlit by Netflix. The show was well-received and was commissioned for a second season. However, the series was canceled after its second season along with other Netflix/Marvel shows such as Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage.
Despite extremely positive reviews for all three seasons, Daredevil was canceled too. Marvel president Kevin Feige, however, assured fans that Charlie Cox would be returning to the MCU and he had his first appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. He later appeared in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law and it was announced that a solo Disney Plus series with an eighteen-episode first season titled Daredevil: Born Again.
In early March of 2023, Bernthal posted a screengrab of him as the Punisher on Instagram, hinting at his return to the character. He also posted a video on the YouTube channel Real Ones with Jon Bernthal that showed him walking along to the theme song of The Punisher. He added a caption to the video which read, ‘Frank Castle is Back’.
How Much Of Frank Castle Will There Be In Daredevil: Born Again?
Frank Castle was officially confirmed to be returning to the role of Frank Castle in Daredevil: Born Again. That made him the third actor to reprise his role from the Netflix/Marvel universe after Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk. The Disney Plus series was initially set to be packaged as a legal procedural drama. However, the show underwent a creative overhaul after Kevin Feige was reportedly disappointed with the filmed footage.
After a delay in production due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes and the creative overhaul, the show was all set to resume filming. Previous characters from the Netflix show such as Karen Page and Foggy Nelson were confirmed to appear along with Frank Castle. Recently, an X user leaked the news that Jon Bernthal’s Punisher would only be there in one episode of the show.
That is not true lol https://t.co/k2qOk8qAIR
— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) January 23, 2024
However, this news was quickly debunked by popular scooper Daniel RPK, who said, “That is not true lol”. This has led to fans speculating whether Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle would appear in more episodes or none at all. While Daniel RPK did not elaborate on his statement, fans have been hoping that it is the former as The Punisher was one of the most celebrated characters in the Netflix franchise.
With the release of the Disney Plus miniseries Echo, it has been reported that there has been a renewed interest in the Netflix/Marvel universe. Both Wilson Fisk and Charlie Cox made appearances in the show, and the post-credits scene seemingly sets up the plot of Daredevil: Born Again.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Punisher and Daredevil received more views after Echo. Hence, there are chances that fans may see more of Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle than less.
