Everyone has been waiting…not so patiently for Jon Berthnal’s return as The Punisher. With many rumors going around on the internet, it is hard to know which to believe, so today, we will be going over what we know about The Punisher’s return. Jon Bernthal hasn’t been in a Marvel Cinematic Universe for over three years since the show’s cancellation on Netflix. Just earlier this year again all The Defenders shows moved over to Disney+. Bernthal plays the role of Frank Castle, a vigilante who lost his family in a tragedy which is a key part of his role.
Six years ago, Bernthal made his first appearance as The Punisher in the Daredevil series, which was also on Netflix before the cancellation. He first appeared in season 2 of Daredevil, with MCU character Matt Murdock, who plays the vigilante Daredevil, Charlie Cox, whose enemy is Kingpin.
When Will The Punisher Return?
A little while back, Rosario Dawson, who played Claire Temple in Daredevil and other The Defenders series, was speaking at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo in August. During a Q&A on stage, she slipped up that Jon Bernthal would be returning as The Punisher. Stating, “I found out yesterday The Punisher was happening again, so I feel like it’s my second chance,” is what she said to the audience. “It’s the only one of those shows I wasn’t in, and I love Jon Bernthal, so let’s all make it happen collectively, guys.”
Her comment of “let’s all make it happen” wasn’t actually proving that The Punisher is coming back, but that she wanted a cameo in the unannounced return series. But, letting his slip is still not good, and Dawson took the news back on Twitter shortly after the Expo. She stated that she heard about The Punisher news from fans and not anything official…which is hard to believe and could just be a coverup.
Jon Bernthal Wants To Return As The Punisher
In a different interview in time, Jon Bernthal was asked if he would return to his role of Frank Castle on The Hollywood Reporter, basically stating he’d do the role as long as it is done right. “So I was really grateful, respectful, and weary of the places where that role took me and the world in which I had to live in. That being said, that’s where that character needs to be. It needs to be a level of darkness. I think if there’s any let-up on that character, you do a disservice to the character, to every iteration of the character, to every comic book that’s come before, and to all of the unbelievable fans of the character. 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.”
It is good to know that Bernthal wants to return, but only if the true Punisher is shown throughout his character on Disney+. On the new platform, many have worried that R-rated content will be downplayed…but with Deadpool 3 with Hugh Jackman playing the Wolverine Logan alongside Ryan Reynolds…that will definitely be a hard R-rated film. Given how dark the Deadpool and Wolverine movies are, we have hopes that will be matched with the darkness in The Punisher.
There was an Instagram post earlier last week about how Jon Bernthal related to an MCU project, which you can read more about here. With everything we know so far, it makes us strongly wonder if Frank Castle will join the MCU through Daredevil: Born Again, which is set to come to Disney+, picking up with the Daredevil series. For now, that is all we know about the return of The Punisher.
