When Jon Berthal was cast in Daredevil season 2, the response from fans to his take on Frank Castle was overwhelmingly positive. The actor reprised the role in a two-season spin-off, which, while not the best Marvel series on Netflix, was still a strong showcase for him.
Bernthal made his official MCU debut in Daredevil: Born Again, and before reprising the role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day next summer, we'll see his Punisher take centre stage in a Disney+ Special Presentation.
Reinaldo Marcus Green and Bernthal wrote the special, with the former set to direct. Now, we have an update from Nexus Point News, starting with plans for The Punisher to shoot from mid-July through the first week of August in New York.
Daredevil: Born Again wraps in a few weeks, meaning the actor will likely go from one MCU project to the next (assuming he's in season 2).
Following reports that this Special Presentation will feature a female crime boss, the site has learned that this is likely classic Punisher villain, Ma Gnucci. In the comics, Isabella Carmela Magdalena "Ma" Gnucci sets out to kill Frank after he murdered three of her sons. As well as using her connections in the NYPD to send the "Punisher Task Force" after Frank, she dispatches the Russian to take him out.
Gnucci loses all of her limbs and scalp when The Punisher throws her into a polar bear enclosure in the Central Park Zoo. He later burns her to death, but only after he punts the limbless mobster into the burning building.
"Welcome Back, Frank" is a classic story, and Marvel Studios adapting it for the MCU is an exciting prospect. Presumably, we'll see something in the special that leads directly into Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
"I care very deeply about Frank, I’m really grateful that I’m getting the opportunity to tell the story that I think the fans deserve," Bernthal recently said of this special. "We’re giving it our all and we’re trying to tell a Frank Castle story that we’re going to turn our back on the audience - it’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be light, and I think it’s the version that this character deserves and I’m just beyond honored and grateful that we get the opportunity."
Asked how the standalone special will compare to the Netflix series, Bernthal teased, "It’s going to be dark; Frank has no interest in breaking out the darkness. It’s not going to be easy. I don’t know if that’s the Netflix tone then that’s what it’s going to be. It will not be Punisher-lite, I promise you that."
The Punisher Special Presentation is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2026. Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is eyeing a March 2026 release, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day swinging into theaters on July 31, 2026.