Key Points
Jon Bernthal returning to iconic Punisher role
Disney+ special promises dark, uncompromising narrative
Actor co-writing standalone Marvel project
Premiering alongside Daredevil season 2 in 2026
At the SXSW film festival on Saturday, Jon spoke about returning as the anti-hero Punisher and said that he is grateful for the opportunity to tell the story with his standalone special, which the fans deserve.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, at the premiere of his upcoming movie Accountant 2 at SXSW film festival, Jon Berthnal said, "I care very deeply about Frank, I'm really grateful that I'm getting the opportunity to tell the story that I think the fans deserve. We're giving it our all and we're trying to tell a Frank Castle story that we're going to turn our back on the audience -- it's not going to be easy, it's not going to be light, and I think it's the version that this character deserves and I'm just beyond honored and grateful that we get the opportunity."
When asked how it would compare to the Netflix show, Bernthal responded, "It's going to be dark; Frank has no interest in breaking out the darkness. It's not going to be easy. I don't know if that's the Netflix tone, then that's what it's going to be," adding, "It will not be Punisher-lite, I promise you that."
Bernthal first began playing Frank Castle/Punisher, a grieving father-turned-vigilante, on Netflix's version of Daredevil in 2016, then going on to star in his own Netflix series The Punisher from 2017 to 2019.
With Daredevil now revived at Disney+, he makes an appearance on Born Again, and it was announced at the end of February that he would be headlining a Punisher special for Marvel Television. Bernthal is currently cowriting the standalone special alongside Reinaldo Marcus Green, who will also direct.
The Disney+ show will air in 2026 alongside the second season of Daredevil.
