Ray Stevenson Reveals New Thor Details And Talks More About Returning As The Punisher!

Ray Stevenson Reveals New Thor Details And Talks More About Returning As The Punisher!

The actor reveals what he thinks were the main problems with the last big screen outing for The Punisher, talks about returning to the role and what he'd like to do differently, as well as letting slip more details about playing Volstagg, the Asgardian sets and working with Chris Hemsworth...

By JoshWilding - Mar 09, 2011 07:03 PM EST
Filed Under: Punisher
Source: Pop Culture

On Whether He Was Happy With How The Film Was Recieved:

I was happy with the movie. I thought the press and advertisement campaign could’ve been handled a little bit better, though. I wish more people would have been made aware of the movie. It seemed like the fan base was very happy with it, I believe. We gave them Frank Castle from the Punisher MAX series, and that’s what we set out to do. I hope it’s got legs. I hope it’ll come around again.


On What About The Marketing He Didn't Like:

There were other images that I thought were going to be the sort of poster artwork, and then this image came out, and I thought, “Where on Earth is that from?” It was sort of airbrushed a bit too much, and it didn’t look like the character I played. I don’t know; just personally, I don’t think it captured anything of the movie. It was a little bit bland, and nondescript, and just disappeared, so people didn’t even know that the film had come out.


On Whether He Has Any Definite Plans To Return To The Role With Marvel Studios:

I feel flattered by Marvel, because they’ve allowed me to play two principle Marvel characters—Frank Castle and Volstagg in Thor. As far as Frank Castle, I always bend their ear about it whenever I see them. [Laughs.] I would like to have another go at the character.


On What Changes He'd Like To See Made In That Movie:

Yeah, I’d like to see him brought, in a sense, into the 21st century. The storylines in the movie were taken from the comic books, which were about 10 or 12 years old, so I’d like to see it brought right up to modern times, to contemporary times. Take a new, fresh look at Frank Castle’s world.


On His Interpretation Of Volstagg And Donning A Fat Suit:

Yeah. It’s Volstagg, with a big red beard, red hair, six-bladed battle ax—basically, he’s 1,000 pounds of fun. I made him sort of epicurean, as well, sort of like the dancing elephants in Fantasia. [Laughs.] He’s like on the tiptoes of his feet, and he’s always the life and the fun of the party.


On The Movies Impressive Sets:

It was such a fun film to work on, though. Just walking onto some of the Asgard sets, you’re expecting 100 lined-up dancers to come across this sort of black glass floor. There were these great big giant gilded ram heads, which were actually chimneys over a lava rock, fire pit. It was just insane. It was one of the biggest sets that I’ve ever been on. And then, of course, we went to New Mexico. Asgard lands on Earth, and, strangely enough, we land on America. [Laughs.] Like every other UFO in history. Go figure.


On How Chris Hemsworth Does As Thor:

I think he’s great! He’s got that bit about a young male right on the cusp. Is he old enough? Is he responsible enough to take over the throne of Asgard, or is it all so far away from him still? It’s a really complex journey. Chris has such openness. I think he was an inspired choice for Thor—he’s going to be great. The fans should feel at ease.


With an all star cast which includes Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Thor is set to be released in the UK on April 29 and shortly after in the US on May 6, later this year!




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HULK2099
HULK2099 - 3/9/2011, 8:05 PM
BRING HIM BACK!
WolvieCBM
WolvieCBM - 3/9/2011, 8:12 PM
Awesome find man! He will be great as Volstagg. As for Punisher, like I said, could be good.
chris1990
chris1990 - 3/9/2011, 8:16 PM
no thanks, they need to bring back jane as punisher, his was the better movie and worthy of a sequel it never got, yeah warzone was punisher MAX series or whatever, still doesn't make the movie any good, complete garbage, PERIOD!
TheBatman938865
TheBatman938865 - 3/9/2011, 8:16 PM
Bring Thomas Jane back!.......and can't wait for Thor! lol
ClarkFarley2012
ClarkFarley2012 - 3/9/2011, 8:20 PM
Once again I'm going to have to watch Punished Warzone, cuz I've never seen it. I'd rather see the Punisher on HBO or FX. Just don't think he's a well known character to put enough butts in the movie theater.
musicsuperhero1
musicsuperhero1 - 3/9/2011, 8:22 PM
i would say theres no way this would happen...BUT we did get Nic Cage back for that pseudo reboot/sequel thing for Ghost Rider. If they do a FOURTH Punisher movie I hope the fourth times the charm since Marvel will have the rights...BUT i thought Marvel said they wouldn't make R-Rated movies. ? Marvel Knights maybe?
Jagfan28
Jagfan28 - 3/9/2011, 8:23 PM
Thomas Jane left by himself. I'm sure the filmmakers wanted him to stay, but he didn't believe in the sequel, and therefore he left. So he more than likely won't be back. Ray Stevenson did a really good job as Frank so he should be given a second chance.
Minotauro
Minotauro - 3/9/2011, 8:27 PM
@Clark - If you're a harcore Punisher fan, then you'll appreciate how castle is portrayed. But if not, then you'll think it's doo doo..
Blackmatter
Blackmatter - 3/9/2011, 8:28 PM
I didnt even know he was in Thor
TheQuestion
TheQuestion - 3/9/2011, 8:37 PM
I don't understand people's love affair with Tom Jane. That movie was terrible, and he didn't make a very imposing or intimidating Punisher. Yeah, "Warzone" was terrible too, but it was so bad it became hilarious and awesome. And Ray was just a machine in that movie.
ClarkFarley2012
ClarkFarley2012 - 3/9/2011, 8:38 PM
Once again I'm going to have to watch Punished Warzone, cuz I've never seen it. I'd rather see the Punisher on HBO or FX. Just don't think he's a well known character to put enough butts in the movie theater.
gffrycole
gffrycole - 3/9/2011, 8:45 PM
ugh...Ray was a terrible frank castle. And the last punisher film was just blood and no depth. A punisher film NEEDS depth, like the one Thomas Jane was in. Now THAT was a punisher film.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/9/2011, 8:51 PM
If Jane doesn't want to come back and Ray does, they should let him. Just get a better writer and director.
Luigi
Luigi - 3/9/2011, 9:03 PM
How come it has to be Jane or Stevenson? How about we get a Punisher with over a 30% RT Rating. An HBO show is perfect because it needs to build the characters more than it did in the movies, you can have the tragedy and the suspense of a building body count like Dexter has with the grittiness, violence and the Italian New York feel of The Sopranos. And it can't be a spin off of any of the movies because Jane's Punisher raped his origin an Stevenson's killed off Jigsaw and Microship, which are kind of important characters.
chris1990
chris1990 - 3/9/2011, 9:04 PM
to get the facts straight, Tom Jane left because he didn't believe in the sequel due to dumb hollywood execs writing crappy scripts, he thought they wanted to make a "campy" Punisher movie, he wanted a more realistic, gritty tone to it, they didnt, so he left, I think he wouldve given us a great sequel if he had only had his way, I think if nothing else, they should have an HBO tv series starring Jane starting where the 04' Punisher movie left off!
NERO
NERO - 3/9/2011, 9:07 PM
Wow... disappointing. I would have been fine with Ray or Tom Jane coming back, but after reading this I have to go with Tom now. Ray seems to not get Frank, bring him into the 21st century, Frank is a character who was born and bred of the moral ambiguity of Vietnam. To modernize his origin even more almost nullifies the origin of the character. Frank is more than just some random guy whose origin is as simple as "They killed my family, now I will kill'em all." He is the reflection in a mirror darkly of the twentieth century and what it did to mankind.

Frank was a man born with a darkness within him. In the unencumbered war that was Vietnam that darkness found an outlet. He could kill not only the enemy, but any he saw as a threat or came to view was corrupt. A prime example of both is seen in "Born." When one of his men tries to rape a wounded female VC sniper he shoots the girl in the head during the rape for two reasons: She is the enemy and should be killed and "nothing else," as he says, and because her degradation was worse than death. He saw it as mercy.

After killing the girl he follows the rapist to a stream where the marine attempts to wash the blood from his face. Frank casually walks up behind him and puts his foot on the back of the man's head and drowns him. This is a typically justified Punisher murder, but things will darken further. The second prime example is when Frank is confronted with a general who tells him that he will recommend Fire Base Valley Forge will be decommissioned. Frank sees the base and the patrols he leads from it as essential to cutting off VC supply lines and protecting other bases further down the valley. To prevent the general from doing this he tells him he will show him why the base must remain and directs him to a nearby berm. Frank directs the older man up the stairs as he blocks a sign that reads "Sniper on Duty - Dawn to Dusk" As the general reaches the summit his is shot through the head. This marked the beginning of Frank's moral ambiguity, allowing for the death of someone who was essentially innocent.

The war darkened him. In the end when the base is overrun by a force of several hundred VC and NVA soldiers, Frank emerges as the only survivor because in the midst of the battle, when the fighting had devolved to hand to hand combat, the voice frank had heard throughout his time in the war, a voice which had spoken to him more and more as his thurst for war and death had become an addiction, offered him not only the will to survive that night, but the chance to fight a never ending war. He gave in to the darkness and said, "Yes." even though the voice said there would be a cost. It was revieled that the cost would be the lives of his family. In a dark and twisted way it was Frank's own inner evil that lead to the death of his family.

To move Frank away from this level of darkness is to lessen him, to dumb down what he is, and to trivialize what could be a very complex character, not just some run of the mill vigilante. The man is almost an emissary of death. I now see that Ray views Frank as nothing more that a man with guns killing bad guys. He misses the point that Castle himself is as dark and willfully violent and near evil as the men he hunts. There is no killer with a heart of gold, no saint in bloody robes; Frank is a serial killer for all intents and purposes. He continues to kill because he likes it, he needs it. Frank castle is not a hero; he is a mad man steered to a kill those that society can live without, and because of that he is viewed threw a skewed perspective as a hero of sorts.

I see now this guy doesn’t get it. Ray just doesn’t see it. He thinks the fans like War Zone? Obviously he has never talked to anyone who gave him an honest opinion. He should read the posts more. I am beyond disappointed. Let me be honest Ray: War Zone only made 10 million worldwide, not because it was under promoted, but because it was a laughable piece of dog shit that only picked out the most trivial bits of the MAX series and ignored anything that would require someone to think. You were the only decent thing about the film and sadly now I believe that was only a fluke. No Ray, you are off my list my friend. It’s time for a new Punisher, someone who gets it. Stick to Volstagg, apparently it suits you more.
Justice
Justice - 3/9/2011, 9:12 PM
Y through him in one movie and not anohter? If he's doing Thor then, keep him in Thor, so thing's don't get confusing.
UltimateRedLantern
UltimateRedLantern - 3/9/2011, 9:13 PM
love Jane, but god no, that movie was horrible. at least in warzone he was a ruthless man killing every bad guy in sight
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 3/9/2011, 9:19 PM
I liked Jane a lot. His version is the better film to me, but War Zone is a comic come to life. Ray is Frank Castle without question, and after all the slicing, dicing and putting holes in everything, what esle would you expect? I don't mind Jane or Ray coming back, but I like how Ray is knowledgeable and involved and wants it to be right.
hunterelf
hunterelf - 3/9/2011, 9:28 PM
would love to see them do Punisher -Born, could work if you ask me
AstonishingSpiderMan
AstonishingSpiderMan - 3/9/2011, 9:33 PM
this dude was terrible as the punisher T.J. was way better ...Tj is The Punisher!! 'Nough Said!!
sansClaymore
sansClaymore - 3/9/2011, 9:40 PM
its funny ... all this whimpering about the punisher movie... the villain was terrible, and thats why it bombed but ray was the epitomy of frank castle and deserves a reboot or at the least a sequel

and noone commented about how he let slip that asgard lands on earth... where of course as the comics are concerned thor attempts to rebuild it...asgard a ufo?

anyone!!?!?!???!?!?!?
SmokinIndo
SmokinIndo - 3/9/2011, 9:41 PM
@gffrycole

A film is NOT a Punisher film unless it has hordes of bloody violence and brutality, all of which the Thomas Jane version had NONE of. The Thomas Jane version wasn't even a good action flick. It was boring as hell! The Ray Stevenson version.... now that was a good Punisher flick. At least it was fun to watch and was faithful to the source material.

@sansClaymore

He doesn't mean that Asgard literally lands on Earth. That doesn't happen in the script. He means it figuratively, because all of Asgard's important heroes arrive on Earth. They can all be seen in the trailer chilling in New Mexico.
Anthrax
Anthrax - 3/9/2011, 9:41 PM
Neo well put I agree 100%Ray stevenson FTW!
FutureCBMHero
FutureCBMHero - 3/9/2011, 9:44 PM
@Nero

You put a lot of thought into your post, but I have to disagree.

On the premise of bringing Castle to the 21st century, I think he's looking at it more like Nolan did with Batman, and is going to do with Superman. Bats and Supes are highly based out of the early 20th century, but that won't sell the same way as bringing them into our modern times (believe me, I would love to see some period piece CBM's made, but it'd be tough IMO. We'll see what Cap opens up). I think you can stay true to the character, and even to the origins, by bringing him into modern times a little bit better.
marvelguy
marvelguy - 3/9/2011, 9:45 PM
JOSH,
Good catch! Really enjoyed this one.

"Warzone" worked. Just needed a little more story. He is the best Punisher to date.

I have big doubts about "Thor." His comments help assuage them a bit.

NERO
NERO - 3/9/2011, 9:48 PM
I don't know about a full on "Born" Punisher film, but I would definitely like to see a new Punisher that took a sort of "Year One" approach to Frank; a film that incorporates flashbacks of "Born" with the telling of exactly how Frank slowly becomes the Punisher, ending with him finally donning the Death's Head after killing the men that killed his family. The setting would be 1976-1977 NYC, the bad old days. It would be exceptionally dark and get into Frank's head by way of his War Journal. I could imagine it being more of a Frank Castle story than a true Punisher tale. Sign Michael Mann on to direct and by God that would be a Punisher movie I'd stand in line to see. Think of it a highly improved Punisher (2004).
NERO
NERO - 3/9/2011, 10:01 PM
@FutureCBMHero: I think it could be updated, but to me the character just rings far more true when put into his proper chronological context. It wasn't just Vietnam; it was the era that came after. America was locked in an economic slag pit not seen since the Great Depression and it bred crime the likes of which we today can barely fathom. The major cities, especially on the east coast, were cesspools; there were more derelict and burnt out tenements in the South Bronx than livable ones and Brooklyn was consumed by the Heroin epidemic, and then crack. In that era NYC was the perfect place for someone like the Punisher to emerge. You could try to place Frank's military background in the modern war, you could even have the type of random violence back home that would claim a whole innocent family, but the sustained level of scum is something this time lacks.

And honestly I think we, in this modern era with our more effete sensibilities, would not tolerate a person to run around slaughtering even the worst of criminals. I just see him as a character born of a specific time and set of circumstances, I guess.

But I’ll definitely concede your point and admit there may be some very talented screen writer or director out there that could totally prove me wrong and have Frank be near my own age (32) and have ended up just as the now sixty year old Frank is in the MAX series.
FutureCBMHero
FutureCBMHero - 3/9/2011, 10:07 PM
I dig.

The thing with that time period that I think has subsided quite a bit is gang violence. Most gang violence these days is inter-gang violence, back in the 80's and early 90's, gangs were something to be feared, and I think The Punisher kind of played into the matching power of that.
superpooper
superpooper - 3/9/2011, 10:11 PM
I'm trying to keep an open mind about this argument, but this is one time where you people are clearly insane and I have to call you on it. Now I can understand if you just don't like Ray, but anyone on this site who says they want Tom Jane back rather than Ray please go die NOW. Really? How can u possibly think Tom Jane was a better Frank Castle than Stevenson? U must be retarded.
aishiteru
aishiteru - 3/9/2011, 10:40 PM
i love to think punisher warzone is a disney movie :)
breakUbatman
breakUbatman - 3/9/2011, 10:54 PM
ASGARD ON EARTH!?.....deep
Reasonnnn
Reasonnnn - 3/9/2011, 11:12 PM
Stevenson was the better Frank Castle, even though both films were below average.

Good thing that it's back with Marvel Studios.
Reasonnnn
Reasonnnn - 3/9/2011, 11:12 PM
Michael Fassbender would be a great Frank Castle.
superpooper
superpooper - 3/9/2011, 11:21 PM
Punisher with Jane was better? NO WAY. I don't care how bad Warzone may have been, Janisher was infinitely worse. Even if Warzone had the worst script ever written, worse cinematography ever shot and worse casting ever Janisher was NOT better. That movie is almost as bad as Dolph Lundgren Punsisher. Nothing about Tom Jane even resembles the Punisher. He only got that role because at the time his career was on an upswing. Haven't seen him in many leading roles lately. Jane just was too much of a wuss. At least Ray Stevenson was intimidating. There is NOTHING intimidating about Tom Jane. I'm going to go ahead anb apologize in advance but I have to say this...if you think Jane was a better Punisher than Stevenson you are STUPID.
comicbookjerk
comicbookjerk - 3/9/2011, 11:55 PM
PUNISHER: WAR ZONE WORST MOVIE EVER MADE BASED ON A COMIC BOOK! NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED IN THEATRES IT WAS LAME EVEN FOR A DVD RELEASE!

IF YOU DON"T AGREE I DON"T CARE THOMAS JANE RULED!
OdinsMissingEye
OdinsMissingEye - 3/10/2011, 12:12 AM
Its difficult for anyone other than Punisher fans or even comic fans to appreciate these movies because for the audience that is unfamiliar with him it just comes across as another action movie.

I think his movies need to show him fighting more interesting villians, Kingpin or Bullseye and it definitely demands an opening scene where he's chasing down some mutant villian, and even have a cameo from Spiderman or Daredevil or some acrobatic lycra wearing supe to give it that comic book movie edge.

His movies also most definitely need to show how intelliegent he is and also his military skill, his proficency with almost all weapons and explosives, like dont just show him planting some bombs somewhere, like really go into the details of it and show his expertise with these sorts of things and continue to show these things over and over again to really get the point across of how much of a badass gun weilding ninja he is, that I think would be whats needed to set him apart from your everyday action heroes.
Superman75
Superman75 - 3/10/2011, 12:24 AM
I think they should get a new actor and start from scratch.
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