Several scoopers have claimed Jon Bernthal‘s Punisher will receive his own Disney+ spin-off after his return in Daredevil: Born Again.
After appearing on Daredevil and leading two seasons of his own spin-off series at Netflix series, Jon Bernthal is finally returning as the notorious Punisher under Marvel Studios in next year’s Daredevil: Born Again.
The series is expected to serve as a soft Disney+ reboot to Netflix’s Daredevil as it brings back Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin for a fresh go-around with these characters in a “very different” direction.
Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Gets Disney+ Reboot (Rumor)
Scooper MyTimeToShineHello stated in a recent tweet that Charlie Cox’s Daredevil won’t be the only one to get the Disney+ treatment, with Jon Bernthal’s Punisher now also rumored to receive his own rebooted series.
Having previously appeared on Netflix, Bernthal’s Frank Castle is set to return to the MCU soon for a “major” role in next year’s Daredevil: Born Again.
This wouldn’t be the first time the Punisher got his own series after a major role in a Daredevil project. The exact same thing happened on Netflix as Frank Castle recurred on Daredevil Season 2 before receiving his own two-season series.
Streamr’s Caiden Reed similarly stated a Punisher Disney+ series in development. He also claimed one is in the works for the mystical superhero White Tiger, who has been rumored to join the MCU in Daredevil: Born Again.
Why Disney+’s Punisher Will Still Be Dark and Violent
Many have voiced concerns about Born Again, particularly referring to the fear of it being “Disneyfied” and becoming too light-hearted compared to the dark and gritty story in Netflix’s Daredevil. And undoubtedly, those same fears are going to be felt by fans for a character as dark, violent, and mature as the Punisher.
Well, Jon Bernthal’s return itself offers some hope on that front as, going as far back as October 2021, the actor was clear he would only want to return to if it was going to be “dark… [and] gritty enough” to give the fans “what they deserve:”
“It’s just about, if they do do it, are we gonna be able to do it right? Is it gonna be dark enough? Is it gonna be gritty enough? Are we gonna give the fans, and the folks that this character means so much to, are we gonna give them what they deserve?”
So, with Bernthal back on board for Born Again and maybe now his own Disney+ spin-off, the Punisher seems to be in safe hands at Marvel Studios. Although that’s not to say either show will necessarily be TV-MA (R-rated), after all, there are plenty of ways to give off a dark tone without blood, swearing, and gore.
The decision to frame Born Again as a soft reboot of Netflix’s Daredevil has proven controversial, especially after the first character recast was confirmed. But The Punisher may be easier to reboot given that show was far less popular and didn’t really have any side characters as beloved as Daredevil‘s Foggy and Karen.
Kingpin’s mayoral takeover in Daredevil: Born Again is expected to spill out to impact several other street-level movies and series, including Spider-Man 4. With The Punisher confirmed and White Tiger rumored for the Daredevil reboot, it’s easy to see how this story could perhaps continue into their own projects.
Both seasons of The Punisher are streaming now on Disney+. Daredevil: Born Again will bring Jon Bernthal’s hero back when it premieres in spring 2024.
