Jon Bernthal is set to return as Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher, in the upcoming Disney Plus series Daredevil: Born Again, according to a new report from The Hollywood Reporter (opens in new tab).
Citing unnamed sources, THR says Bernthal will join confirmed cast members Charlie Cox (who plays Matt Murdock, a.k.a Daredevil) and Vincent D'Onofrio (reprising the role of Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin) when the show begins filming in New York City next month.
Bernthal last portrayed the character in the second season of Netflix's The Punisher, which was unceremoniously canceled alongside the rest of the streaming giant's Marvel slate back in 2019.
Daredevil: Born Again is scheduled to release on Disney Plus sometime in 2024, and has been given a whopping 18-episode order for its initial season.
The Punisher returns: What to expect
Given that Bernthal's take on The Punisher debuted in season two of Netflix's Daredevil series, it seems fitting that the classic Marvel vigilante would make his triumphant return alongside 'The Devil of Hell's Kitchen'.
Of course, how the character will be portrayed remains to be seen — it's unlikely that Disney's version of The Punisher will be as brutal as his portrayal on Netflix, with Cox telling THR last year (opens in new tab) that he believes Daredevil: Born Again "will be dark but it probably won’t be as gory.”
In an interview (opens in new tab) with THR back in 2021, Bernthal spoke about about whether his version of the character would fit into the MCU. "I think if there’s any let up on that character, you do a disservice to the character," he said, further stating that "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.”
So if Bernthal is indeed returning as The Punisher, we have to assume Marvel Studios did a good job of convincing him that the character won't be too watered down. That said, we'll have to wait until Daredevil: Born Again arrives in 2024 to find out.
In the meantime, you can catch up with Bernthal's previous adventures as The Punisher on Disney Plus. Not yet a subscriber? You can sign up by clicking one of the options below.
