Frank Castle, better known as The Punisher, has firmly established his place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with his debut in Netflix’s Daredevil second season in 2016. Portrayed by Jon Bernthal, fresh from his success on The Walking Dead, the character quickly resonated with audiences. This led to Bernthal headlining his own series, The Punisher, which ran for two seasons before the Marvel Netflix Universe’s cancellation dashed hopes for a third installment. Despite this setback, Frank Castle’s story was far from over.
Bernthal returned to his role in the first season of Daredevil: Born Again on Disney Plus, a sequel series that officially integrates the events of the Netflix shows into the broader MCU. This revival has since extended to a standalone Disney Plus Special Presentation focusing on The Punisher, along with an upcoming supporting role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Yet, these comebacks nearly never happened, as Bernthal initially refused to reprise the role.
The Initial Vision for Daredevil: Born Again and Bernthal’s Hesitation
While Daredevil: Born Again is now celebrated as a faithful continuation of the Netflix era, the original concept Marvel Studios had was quite different. Initially, only Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Wilson Fisk) were planned to return, but in new, distinct versions of their characters. This approach meant that other characters from the Netflix series, including Frank Castle, would have been recast to fit this fresh vision. When Sandrine Holt took over the role of Vanessa Fisk from Ayelet Zurer, fans voiced their displeasure, reflecting wider doubts about the direction.
Jon Bernthal revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he was offered the chance to return as The Punisher alongside Cox and D’Onofrio but declined. He explained that he did not connect with the version of Frank Castle that the initial writers proposed, feeling it lacked authenticity for the character and would not satisfy fans:
“Ultimately, I didn’t see it. I didn’t see the version of Frank, and what they wanted from Frank [didn’t] really make sense to me and I thought would not appeal to the fans and wouldn’t be congruent… It was not something I was really interested in doing. So we had to walk away.”
– Jon Bernthal, Actor
The show’s early outline leaned heavily into a procedural format exploring the legal side of Matt Murdock’s world, with Daredevil himself not appearing in costume until well into the series. Both Cox and D’Onofrio struggled to embrace this concept, making it clear that the initial versions of their characters did not resonate with their expectations or the audience’s hopes.
Creative Overhaul Reshaped the Show Into a True Sequel
Recognizing these issues, Marvel decided to overhaul the show and restart the creative process. Daredevil: Born Again was re-envisioned as a direct continuation of the original Netflix shows, officially integrating characters and events from Daredevil, The Punisher, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and The Defenders into the MCU canon. This shift provided the foundation to bring back the actors who originally defined these characters, including Bernthal.
Because much of the original footage had already been completed under the earlier direction, the production team employed a hybrid approach: shooting a new pilot episode, adding scenes with Netflix cast members, excising elements that did not fit, and producing additional episodes to complete the season’s story. One significant change was the return of Bernthal’s Punisher, whose presence was woven into the narrative through a newly filmed scene in episode four, as well as an appearance in the season finale.
In this newly inserted scene, Frank confronts Matt Murdock about the death of their mutual friend Foggy Nelson and his own refusal to take decisive revenge. The palpable history between Bernthal’s Punisher and Cox’s Daredevil electrified audiences, showcasing a chemistry that felt genuine and rooted in years of storytelling.
Bernthal expressed admiration for this collaborative revival process, crediting the new showrunner Dario Scardapane—who had played a pivotal role on The Punisher television series—as instrumental in re-engaging him:
“They really brought me into the conversation… We really got specific about where Frank is psychologically, where Frank’s at physically.”
– Jon Bernthal, Actor
Recapturing Frank Castle’s Essence and Future Prospects
From the moment of Bernthal’s return, it was clear that he had captured the essence of Frank Castle, now portrayed as a more weathered and battle-worn character after enduring years of hardship. This rendition of The Punisher has opened the door for future MCU storylines, including the forthcoming Punisher Special Presentation designed to expand his narrative.
Looking back at the near miss with the original Daredevil: Born Again plan, Bernthal credited his decision to decline for protecting the integrity of the character and the expectations of fans:
“Sometimes you have to be very, very clear with your intentions in this business… You can’t get confused with how much you love something… You got to make sure you’re serving it. You got to make sure you’re doing justice to the people that believe in it and doing justice to the iterations that have come before you.”
– Jon Bernthal, Actor
Ultimately, the gamble paid off. The first season of Daredevil: Born Again was met with mostly positive reviews, with many viewers appreciating the way the show merged old and new footage. While some glitches remained, the return of familiar faces such as Karen Page, Foggy Nelson, Vanessa Fisk (played again by Ayelet Zurer), Bullseye, and of course The Punisher, was widely welcomed. The season concluded with a tone that suggested a stronger and more promising follow-up season was on the horizon.
Though Bernthal is not expected to return for the anticipated second season, he is set for multiple MCU appearances in 2026. These include a dedicated Disney Plus special centered on The Punisher and a significant supporting role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
