Beloved actor Jon Bernthal has now responded to his triumphant return as Marvel character Frank Castle aka The Punisher in the upcoming Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again. The news that Bernthal will reprise the iconic role broke yesterday, with the actor taking to social media to share an intense image of himself as the skull-emblazoned vigilante.
A picture often speaks a thousand words, and never was that truer than with the image shared by Bernthal. Screaming into the void while firing two massive machine guns, it is not just Marvel fans who were ecstatic to hear the news of his return. The Punisher star Ben Barnes, who battled Bernthal in the second season as the villainous Billy Russo aka Jigsaw, replying with “Nobody panic!!” and a series of hearts. Jessica Jones star Krysten Ritter meanwhile, who has long been rumored to also be returning for Daredevil: Born Again, simply left a flame emoji alongside the image.
Starring in two seasons of The Punisher after being introduced in the second season of the Netflix Daredevil series, fans have been calling for Jon Bernthal to return since the shows were canceled back in 2019. Much like Charlie Cox’s iteration of Matt Murdock/Daredevil, Bernthal’s portrayal of Frank Castle is now considered to be the pinnacle for the character, with the actor’s natural magnetism and intensity matching perfectly with The Punisher as he wages war on the criminal underworld of New York City.
Now that Jon Bernthal is well and truly back in the MCU fray, could this lead to a standalone series for The Punisher?
Daredevil: Born Again is Expected to Premiere on Disney+ Early 2024
Not much has yet been revealed regarding the direction of Daredevil: Born Again, but a recent rumor has claimed that the series will be based on the 2017-2018 comic book arc, Mayor Fisk, which finds The Kingpin running for Mayor...and Matt Murdock working for him.
Running throughout Daredevil #595-600, Mayor Fisk finds New York falling to The Kingpin. “Daredevil’s greatest and deadliest adversary is now the city’s newly elected mayor!” the synopsis for Mayor Fisk reads. “And the stage is set for their most unbelievable showdown yet. Matt Murdock has the law and his incredible abilities in his arsenal — but Fisk has an entire city on his side. As the mayor declares Daredevil Public Enemy No. 1, Matt Murdock receives the most incredible offer of his legal career!”
Daredevil: Born Again will star Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock aka Daredevil, Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin, and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle aka Punisher, alongside Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva, Sandrine Holt, and Nikki M. James. Somewhat surprisingly, Daredevil: Born Again will not bring back Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson as Karen Page and Franklin "Foggy" Nelson. It is currently unknown whether their characters will be recast.
Daredevil: Born Again is expected to premiere on Disney+ in early 2024 as part of Phase Five of the MCU.