Punisher is Back!

Jon Bernthal is returning to his role as Frank Castle, also known as the Punisher, in the upcoming Marvel Studios series, Daredevil: Born Again. This news comes as a pleasant surprise for fans who have been eagerly waiting for Bernthal’s return to the character since the cancellation of the Punisher series on Netflix. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Bernthal will join Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio in the series, which will begin shooting in New York this month.

Born Again, based on a Daredevil storyline published in 1986, will be an 18-episode series, unlike other Marvel series that typically come in six or nine episodes per season. Writers and executive producers Matt Corman and Chris Ord are behind the show, which is expected to premiere in the spring of 2024 on Disney+. While the show deviates from the comic book storyline, it will still feature Daredevil’s battle against Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin.

Bernthal first played the Punisher on Netflix’s version of Daredevil in 2016 and went on to headline his own Punisher series for two seasons. The series was canceled by Netflix ahead of the launch of Disney+. But Marvel boss Kevin Feige has confirmed that the Netflix characters are still in play, and Cox’s Daredevil has made cameo appearances in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk. D’Onofrio has also appeared in Hawkeye, and both actors are expected to play key roles in Echo, which will set the stage for Born Again.

While Bernthal is returning to his role as the Punisher, other actors from the Netflix Daredevil series are not expected to return. It is also unclear whether classic supporting characters Karen Page and Foggy Nelson will be recast or excised from the story.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bernthal expressed his desire to retain the darkness of the Netflix portrayal of the character in the upcoming series. He said, “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.”

Overall, fans of the Punisher and Daredevil can look forward to Jon Bernthal’s return as Frank Castle in Daredevil: Born Again, which promises to be an epic series that stays true to the character’s dark and gritty roots.