The Punisher has entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel has announced the first major cast addition for Daredevil Season 2. Jon Bernthal has signed on to play Frank Castle, the ruthless vigilante better known as The Punisher. As created in 1974 by Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, The Punisher was a misguided Spider-Man villain who was later spun into his own comic book series. The character’s popularity led to three Punisher feature films that failed to capture the spirit of the character.
Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane, and Ray Stevenson each portrayed Frank Castle in the three Punisher films. But Bernthal’s Punisher will be the first live action incarnation of the character to share the screen with another Marvel hero. In the comics, The Punisher and Daredevil have faced off many times despite sharing similar goals. After the murder of his family, The Punisher has no problem killing criminals, while Daredevil refuses to cross that line.
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Bernthal is best known for playing Shane on The Walking Dead for two seasons, in addition to his starring role in Mob City, and his appearances in Wolf of Wall Street, and Fury.
Marvel’s Jeph Loeb said “Jon Bernthal brings an unmatched intensity to every role he takes on, with a potent blend of power, motivation and vulnerability that will connect with audiences. Castle’s appearance will bring dramatic changes to the world of Matt Murdock and nothing will be the same.”
Daredevil Season 2 will premiere on Netflix in 2016. Production is expected to begin this summer.
