More footage from the set of Marvel Television's The Punisher Special Presentation has been revealed, this time showing Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle reunited with an old friend from his Netflix series.
That's Jason R. Moore's Curtis "Curt" Hoyle, a former Navy SARC who lost his leg during his service. Following an honourable discharge, Hoyle set up counselling for other veterans suffering from PTSD and tried to help his oldest friend, Frank.
Instead, he was dragged into The Punisher's war with Billy Russo and ultimately grew disgusted with the vigilante's bloodthirsty war on crime. After fulfilling his obligation to help Frank find and kill Jigsaw, he chose to walk away from his friend.
Something must have happened to bring them back together in this follow-up to Daredevil: Born Again, and other videos from the special's set show The Punisher battling several armed assailants on motorcycles.
Reinaldo Marcus Green and Bernthal wrote the special, with the former set to direct. Ma Gnucci is expected to be The Punisher's big bad. While we've all assumed this is a Daredevil: Born Again sequel, the beard has led some fans to wonder if it bridges the gap between his Netflix series and his reunion with Matt Murdock in season 1.
If so, The Punisher's story will likely continue in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, with that show setting the stage for his appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. We'll have to wait and see, though we can't imagine Frank will abandon his war with Mayor Fisk's Anti-Vigilante Task Force.
"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 will premiere on Disney+ in 2026, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day set to swing into theaters on July 31, 2026.