While we can only speculate at the majority of the heroes and villains we are going to see in season 2 of Netflix’s “Daredevil,” we now can confirm one supporting character we can expect. According to Marvel, Jon Bernthal (“The Walking Dead”, Fury) has been cast as The Punisher in season 2.
Bernthal will portray Frank Castle, who after the tragic death of his family, takes on the identity of The Punisher and becomes a one man army against crime. Unlike Daredevil and most of the Marvel superheroes, The Punisher is known for his willingness to kill any enemy who crosses his path.
Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s Head of Television, says, “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.”
The Punisher is a character with instant name-recognition among non-comics fans, but has never really taken off in his own solo movies. Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane, and Ray Stevenson played the character in previous movies, but none ever really captured the character as he exists in the comics. I am excited to see what Bernthal brings to the table. While not my first choice for the role, I can definitely see him as The Punisher. Now it’s all about the writing.
It’ll also be interesting to see how much we’ll see of The Punisher in the new season. I think it’s a great idea to have him become a supporting character in the TV series to reintroduce him to fans. With the deal Marvel has with Netflix, he could appear, not just in “Daredevil,” but possibly in the rest of the Netflix series. A strong showing in “Daredevil” might also give Marvel the confidence to spin off The Punisher into his own series. I think the tone and style Marvel showed in “Daredevil” will fit perfectly with the character, so I’m excited.
We will see Bernthal sport the iconic skull on his chest when “Daredevil” comes back for season 2 in 2016.
