It’s something we quietly hoped for without ever quite thinking it would happen, but it seems like fans’ prayers have been answered: following his on-screen debut in Season 2 of Daredevil, it has been confirmed that Jon Bernthal will be reprising his role as Frank Castle, aka the Punisher, in his very own Netflix series.
According to Entertainment Weekly, a showrunner has already been chosen, with Steve Lightfoot (previously an executive producer on Hannibal) being chosen to shepherd the show along – a solid choice we’re sure you will agree, considering his pedigree.
The series will be Netflix’s sixth Marvel show (after Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Defenders), with Bernthal being the fourth actor to portray the character in live action (following in the footsteps of Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane and Ray Stevenson). As you would have gathered from his appearances in Daredevil, Castle’s ruthless approach to criminality puts him at odds with both the law and the vigilante community, making him the perfect fit for a role outside their world.
When exactly the series will take place hasn’t been explained, but there are plenty of directions to go in: his time in the army, his family life before they were murdered, and his early career before he donned the skull-embossed t-shirt.
In terms of supporting cast members, Frank doesn’t exactly have the richest background, although we can expect to see the likes of Microchip and possibly Jigsaw (played in 2008’s Punisher: War Zone by Wayne Knight and Dominic West respectively). In the meantime, a suitably cryptic preview trailer has been released, which should suitably whet your appetites.
Daredevil Season 2 is available to watch now on Netflix. You can download The 25 Greatest Marvel Comics Ever digital edition from GreatDigitalMags.com now. For more news about the latest series, pick up the new issue of SciFiNow.
