Marvel Bringing Back Jon Bernthal As Punisher, Talks Happening Now
Jon Bernthal might finally be returning as Frank Castle a.k.a. the Punisher.
This article is more than 2 years old
Jon Bernthal has been public about his desire to return to The Punisher. He has remained open to taking up the role on any project Marvel may have for him. Finally, it has been confirmed by multiple sources that the actor is in talks with the studio.
Edward Lauder of Small Screen says that they sat on this information for a while when they only had one source. Now, they’ve confirmed with two others that Jon Bernthal is having meetings. They haven’t said for what project exactly. The source said, “Jon Bernthal and Marvel Studios are in talks which could result in the actor coming back to play The Punisher in the MCU. As it stands, this would be for an appearance in one of the upcoming Disney Plus shows, but that could evolve into an appearance in the movies also.”
Jon Bernthal has been passionate about returning for a long time. He’s said that he’s hoped for a season three of the television series. He’s also made it clear he’d work on other projects if they presented themselves. The actor refuses to give up hope. It would be great if these talks led to something for the Punisher, even if it starts with an appearance in an episode or two to keep the character alive in fans’ minds.
While the sources talking to Small Screen haven’t suggested what project we could potentially see Jon Bernthal in, the writer likes the possibility of She-Hulk. This is a new project for Disney+ and they’ve been putting a lot of money behind the series. They’ve already announced appearances will be made by Mark Ruffalo and Tim Roth. There are rumors Liv Tyler may take up her role as Betty Ross. It would be easy to imagine an appearance by Frank Castle, possibly being defended in court by lawyer Jennifer Walters (a.k.a. She-Hulk).
The source mentioned that Jon Bernthal is keen on playing the Punisher in as many Marvel Cinematic Universe projects as possible, both television and movies. His thinking must be that by appearing in as many things as possible, he can get more fan support behind him for future projects. That, and he’s always just seemed very passionate about the role.
One interesting project that’s been brought up is the idea of Thomas Jane directing something for the Punisher. Thomas Jane played Frank Castle in the 2004 movie. Thomas Jane has said that if fans were into it, he’d love to direct a movie or other project with Jon Bernthal in the role of Frank Castle. While this is only an idea being thrown around, not something discussed with the studios, it’s still a fun one for Punisher fans to think about. Jon Bernthal addressed the possibility on his Twitter, where he said he was honored by the kind words from Thomas Jane.
Jon Bernthal is a passionate creator all around, not just when it comes to Marvel Cinematic Universe projects. Recently, his project The Bottoms has been picked up by Amazon. He is set as the creator for the project where he will also star and co-write. The series is being co-written with Ben Watkins. This is a big win for Bernthal, who has been quietly working on the development of the drama series for the past decade.
Jon Bernthal’s career so far has had him a part of big movies and big franchises. He often takes supporting roles and makes them memorable. He made a big impact with his part as Shane on The Walking Dead. There are rumors he may also be returning to the role as part of an upcoming movie with Rick Grimes. His part stood out in Edgar Wright’s movie Baby Driver as a skeptical antagonist and criminal. As for Frank Castle, he’s been happy to take on the role in both Daredevil and The Punisher, and possibly more projects to come if these talks go well. Maybe, they’ll lead to that R-rated Punisher film fans dream of finally seeing happen.
