Summary
- Bernthal’s The Punisher will get a solo MCU project co-written with Reinaldo Marcus Green and set to premiere on Disney Plus in 2026.
- Marvel Studios decided on a Punisher special presentation in the vein of the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Werewolf by Night.
- Fans are largely positive about the Punisher special, seeing it as the best format to showcase the character without diluting his essence.
Daredevil: Born Again will feature another fan-favorite Marvel hero (or anti-hero) from the Netflix shows. Now, fans have learned this beloved character will finally receive their own solo MCU project, but it might not be what they expected.
Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle/The Punisher was introduced in Netflix’s Daredevil season 2 as an antagonist who eventually becomes an ally, if only momentarily. Bernthal’s performance as The Punisher was widely praised and the character’s popularity earned him a solo series that ran for two seasons. When Netflix canceled The Punisher TV series (and its entire slate of Marvel shows), many fans wondered if Marvel Studios would bring back Bernthal’s version of The Punisher or reboot the character. Those fans rejoiced when Bernthal’s return for Daredevil: Born Again was announced, but many still yearned for the character to receive a solo MCU project.
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Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that Bernthal will reprise his role as The Punisher in a Marvel Studios Special Presentation. Bernthal will co-write The Punisher special with Reinaldo Marcus Green, who is set to direct the Disney Plus project. Green and Bernthal previously collaborated on the HBO miniseries We Own This City. Per The Hollywood Reporter, The Punisher special will premiere in 2026 alongside Daredevil: Born Again season 2. Head of Marvel Television Brad Winderbaum explained that the story for The Punisher special came to them while filming Daredevil: Born Again season 1 and promised it would deliver what fans expect from the character. “It’s like a shotgun blast of a story, but also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story,” Winderbaum said. “It’s so exciting.” Winderbaum also commended Bernthal for his performance as The Punisher and his talent as a writer, expressing excitement for the character’s future in the MCU:
Bernthal is a generational actor. […] He’s incredible what he brings to all the roles he plays, but particularly Frank Castle. And he’s a great writer. He knows the character inside and out… Also, I love Punisher, but I love Jon’s Punisher in particular. The idea that he’s in the MCU and can bring that to the greater universe, especially the more grounded street-level stuff, is a huge opportunity and, as a fan, the greatest thing ever.
News of The Punisher special may be exciting but perhaps unsurprising. Rumors of Marvel Studios developing a new Punisher TV series first surfaced in January 2025 from a report by reputable scooper Daniel Richtman. Winderbaum later confirmed Bernthal was working on a Punisher special during a February 2025 interview with ComicBook, which has since been removed from the online publication’s YouTube channel. During this interview, Winderbaum credited Bernthal for making The Punisher “an icon” and explained why the character interests Marvel Studios:
That’s a character that’s very personal to Jon. He made that character an icon. He is, you know — I think I can say he’s working on a Special Presentation with us right now about that character. That character is driven by a lot of pain and a need to kind of get vengeance and justice, but it’s always interesting where his philosophy lands on how he deals out that justice. To me, that’s the most interesting part of Punisher, how he justifies the violence he inflicts.
There will undoubtedly be fans who want a full Punisher TV series or a feature film. However, the response to The Punisher special presentation news has been largely positive. On Reddit, most fans seemingly agree that a special presentation in the vein of the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Werewolf by Night is the best way to serve The Punisher. Marvel Studios may not see a feature film as a viable option for an arguably niche character and a TV series could potentially have too much filler. A short story in the form of a special will allow Benthal’s The Punisher to take the spotlight without overextending himself. Many people wondered if The Punisher could fit in the MCU, but Marvel Studios appears keen on using the character without diluting him, to the delight of fans.
The Punisher special is expected to premiere on Disney Plus in 2026.
Daredevil: Born Again
- Release Date
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March 4, 2025
- Showrunner
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Chris Ord
- Directors
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Michael Cuesta, Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Jeffrey Nachmanoff
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Source: Entertainment Weekly, ComicBook, The Hollywood Reporter