Not long before the premiere of “Daredevil: Born Again,” fans of The Punisher received thrilling news that Jon Bernthal would reprise his role as Frank Castle in a new spotlight special set to stream on Disney+ next year. In an exciting twist, Bernthal will make his writing debut on this special project, giving him a unique opportunity to shape Frank Castle’s story, a character he has vividly embodied through his performances.
During an interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub at CinemaCon, where Bernthal was promoting his latest film, “The Accountant 2,” he opened up about how he became involved in writing for The Punisher project. He expressed deep personal connection to Frank Castle, saying, “I’ve said it a million times: Frank is in my bones, is in my heart. I care about him.”
Bernthal described the process of pitching a version of Frank that he felt resonated with audiences, especially the military community, first responders, and comic book fans. His passion for the character and story was evident, and he found encouragement from others to continue developing his ideas. He shared, “As we were talking with different writers, the ideas that we were coming up with started to resonate… I’ve got a great group of vets that I work with. One in particular, my friend Nick, he’s just been incredible. I’m honored and I’m grateful. It’s an incredible group of people that we’re assembling.”
In “Daredevil: Born Again” Episode 4, Frank Castle makes a memorable debut, confronting Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) about his reluctance to pursue justice with finality. This highlighted the stark contrast between their crime-fighting philosophies. While Matt, as a lawyer, believes in entrusting the justice system with perpetrators, Frank, scarred by a government conspiracy and personal loss, seeks vengeance as his guiding purpose.
Apart from his work on The Punisher, Bernthal has a busy year ahead with numerous film projects. He will be seen in “The Amateur,” featuring Rami Malek and Rachel Brosnahan, which hits theaters on April 11. Shortly thereafter, Bernthal will return as Braxton in “The Accountant 2,” alongside Ben Affleck and J.K. Simmons. Currently, he is filming “The Odyssey,” directed by Christopher Nolan, and will star opposite Pablo Schreiber in the upcoming detective series “His & Hers.”
Jon Bernthal’s writing debut on The Punisher project, slated to release on Disney+ next year, marks a significant milestone in his career. By taking the script into his hands, he aims to bring a dynamic and personal perspective to Frank Castle’s narrative. Fans can anticipate a fresh, engaging take on the character they have come to love. As the project unfolds, audiences are eager to see Bernthal’s unique storytelling vision realized on screen.
