There was a time, not too long ago, that Netflix and Marvel Studios lived in harmony with their Marvel Cinematic Universe-adjacent shows. Bringing the member of The Defenders to the small screen, we saw Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Jessica Jones each get their own series, as well as a team up show. There was one other Marvel series involved in that universe: The Punisher. The veteran-turned-vigilante with a no mercy mentality first appeared in the second season of Daredevil before getting his own series for two seasons. However, before a third season could be greenlit, the relationship between Marvel and Netflix disintegrated, leading to all of these shows being cancelled pretty much immediately. However, not all is lost, as those property rights have now reverted to Marvel Studios. So, could we finally get that third season? Jon Bernthal would like to think so.
In an interview with Geek House Show, Bernthal spoke about the importance of the character, what it means to him and that he is absolutely on board with returning to the role:
“There’s always hope. It’s unbelievably humbling how much people sort of responded to this version of Frank [Castle, aka The Punisher], and I can’t tell you how much it means to me because he means so much to me. He’s in my blood, he’s in my bones… So it’s not about whether we do it, it’s about getting it right, and doing the version that the fans really deserve. We’ll see. I mean, all of those decisions are made in rooms I am not invited into… But Frank’s always there, he’s always a part of me. And when we get the call to go, I’ll be ready, and I’ll make sure that I do everything I can to make sure that we do it right, or we won’t do it at all.”
While this doesn’t give any credence to actual discussions of a third season, or the character moving into the MCU, it is great to know of Bernthal’s commitment and passion to the vigilante. There are plenty of ways to bring Frank Castle into the MCU, whether it be through a Disney Plus series or one of the films. The Punisher is a highly popular character, and while he is hyper violent and a killer, he would still fit into the MCU. Marvel has never shied away from having to kill villains.
The Punisher’s overtly masochistic methods could still have him fall foul of some of our heroes, similar to what we saw with his issues with Daredevil. Regardless of how it happens, fans want Marvel to bring Jon Bernthal back as Punisher and bring him into the fold.
Would you like to see Bernthal’s Punisher return? Let us know in the comments below!