Jon Bernthal to return as Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again

I’ll admit, I was devastated when The Punisher was cancelled by Netflix. Well, we never did get the full truth of the situation but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Netflix’s Marvel universe was shut down a few months prior to the launch of Disney Plus. The Punisher, Daredevil, and Jessica Jones all had life left in them before the mass exodus. Luke Cage was on a downward trajectory, and don’t get me started on Iron Fist’s Danny Rand and how much he talked about his Chi.

In the years since, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil has been drafted back into the fold. After appearing in both Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, Matt Murdock is set to get his own Disney Plus series in the form of Daredevil: Born Again. It’s rumoured that it could be the MCU’s first X-rated series. There’s one question fans just haven’t been able to stop asking though: Does this mean other Marvel Netflix stars could return?

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My wish has come true, because the answer is yes. Jon Bernthal will return to the world of Marvel and once again portray Frank Castle / The Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again. As announced by The Hollywood Reporter, sources close to the project have confirmed that Bernthal will indeed star in the 18-episode series which is expected to premiere in spring 2024. Vincent D’Onofrio will also return as Kingpin after last appearing in Hawkeye.

I’d love for this to lead to a full reboot of The Punisher but I won’t push my luck. For now, I’m just happy to see Bernthal back. Alongside that news though, The Hollywood Reporter also announced that characters Karen Page and Foggy Nelson are not on the roll call, so it’s unlikely that we’ll see Deborah Ann Woll or Elden Hensen return.

Marvel is yet to respond to reports of Bernthal’s casting but the actor may have confirmed it himself. On Instagram, he posted a photo of himself as Frank in the final scene of The Punisher’s second season. It’s finally time for Castle’s story to continue.