Jon Bernthal Promises a Dark, No-Nonsense PUNISHER Special: “It Will Not Be Punisher-Lite”

Jon Bernthal isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to his return as Frank Castle. The actor, who won over fans with his brutal, emotionally charged performance in Netflix’s The Punisher, will return for an upcoming Marvel special, and he’s making it clear that this won’t be a watered-down version of the character.

Bernthal told The Hollywood Reporter: “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.

“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.”

Bernthal’s portrayal of Castle in the Netflix series was known for its raw intensity, and it sounds like he’s looking to stay true to that tone. He said:

“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 special is being co-written by Bernthal, and Marvel’s head of television, Brad Winderbaum, has teased that it’s a fast, brutal, and emotional experience.

“It’s like a shotgun blast of a story, but also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story,” Winderbaum said. “It’s so exciting.”

Bernthal is also set to appear in Daredevil: Born Again, though he hasn’t shown up yet in the first two episodes. It’s going to be interesting to see how exctly he ends up being incorporated into the story.

With Bernthal’s passion for the character and Marvel allowing him to help shape this special, fans can expect something raw, violent, and deeply true to Frank Castle’s essence.