Jon Bernthal will help to craft the world of his beloved take on The Punisher in an upcoming Marvel project. The actor signed on to co-write a Special Presentation for the character, who he will also portray. Entertainment Weekly reports Bernthal is working with director and co-writer Reinaldo Marcus Green on the solo special. The actor will return to the character for Daredevil: Born Again before stepping into a standalone project.
Jon Bernthal first became the Punisher in Daredevil season two way back in 2016. He portrayed the character throughout that season and into a solo series over the following years. His last turn as Frank Castle came way back in 2019, when his show wrapped. Castle was part of Marvel's Defenders Universe, which dropped on Netflix during the 2010s. Disney shut down that line for several years after they established Disney+. Fans constantly lobbied for the return of Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock and Bernthal's Punisher. They'll get a version of their wish in Daredevil: Born Again, but that's not the end of Castle's revenge. Jon Bernthal will co-write and star in a currently untitled Special Presentation about The Punisher. If you trust IMDB, this is Bernthal's first writing credit to date. His deeper connection to the material should excite fans.
Jon Bernthal's partner in the upcoming presentation will be Reinaldo Marcus Green. Green will direct and co-write the project. He and Bernthal have worked together previously on HBO's We Own This City, which Green directed. Green recently pulled down a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards for his film King Richard. His 2024 follow-up, Bob Marley: One Love, was less impactful, though it did win a BET Award. Bernthal, on the other hand, has almost no behind-the-camera credits. He's an executive producer on a couple of personal projects, but he's acting in everything else. What he lacks in screenwriting experience, he more than makes up for in time with Frank Castle. As Marvel Television head Brad Winderbaum told EW, "He knows the character inside and out." That knowledge will guarantee a stellar showcase for the Punisher.
Jon Bernthal's Punisher is a fan-favorite character who will finally come back in a big way. The promise of a Special Presentation is exciting enough, but Jon Bernthal's writing credit could make it an instant classic. While we don't have a release date yet, Daredevil: Born Again will give Bernthal's Castle a chance to shine again on March 4th.