Jon Bernthal assures that his Punisher special will not be a diluted version of the character.
Jon Bernthal’s comeback as The Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again marks just the beginning of his character's appearances. He is also set to lead a Punisher special on Disney+ in 2026. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bernthal shared insights on the tone of this upcoming special.
“I have a deep affection for Frank and am genuinely thankful for the chance to narrate a story that I believe fans deserve. We’re fully committed and aim to present a Frank Castle narrative that won’t shy away from the audience — it’s going to be challenging and not light-hearted. I truly believe this is the portrayal the character deserves, and I feel incredibly honored and grateful for this opportunity,” he stated.
Bernthal is co-writing the project with Reinaldo Marcus Green and hinted that the tone would be akin to that of the Punisher series on Netflix, which aired from 2017 to 2019.
“It’s going to be dark; Frank isn’t interested in lightening the mood. It won’t be easy. If that aligns with the Netflix tone, then that’s the direction we’re heading,” he mentioned. “It will definitely not be a watered-down version of Punisher, I assure you.”
Bernthal first portrayed Frank Castle, a grieving father turned vigilante, in Daredevil in 2016 before leading his own spin-off series a year later. The Punisher special is expected to premiere alongside the second season of Daredevil in 2026.
Marvel Studios recently revealed its 2025 Disney+ television lineup, showcased in a teaser during the finale of Agatha All Along. The preview included glimpses of three live-action Marvel series set for 2025: Daredevil: Born Again, Ironheart, and Wonder Man.
Daredevil: Born Again is set to debut on March 4, 2025, featuring returning stars Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. Cox and D'Onofrio previously portrayed these roles in Netflix's Daredevil from 2015 to 2018. Additional returning cast members include Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson, Wilson Bethel as Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter, and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher.
It has been almost ten years since Netflix launched Daredevil, during which a great deal has transpired in the Marvel universe. The release date for the sequel series, Daredevil: Born Again, is officially set for March 3, 2025. This announcement came at New York Comic Con, where stars Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio made an unexpected appearance and presented a sneak peek of the series.
Marvel anticipates that Daredevil: Born Again will garner the same affection as X-Men ’97. Matt Murdock will face significant challenges while protecting New York City in the forthcoming Disney+ series. Charlie Cox reprises his role as Murdock/Daredevil, which he first portrayed over three seasons on Netflix’s Daredevil. Although the essence of the blind vigilante remains, Daredevil will step into a fresh universe filled with new obstacles in Born Again. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios' Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, likened Cox’s return as Daredevil to another revived series, X-Men '97.
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Jon Bernthal assures that his Punisher special will not be a diluted version of the character.
The actor, who is collaborating on the writing of the special, mentioned that it will maintain the same dark tone as the Netflix series.