We first heard that Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures might be planning to introduce the Punisher to the mix in the then untitled Spider-Man 4 early last year. With so many rumors relating to the project doing the rounds at the time, nobody really believed that we'd see the ultra-violent vigilante in the same movie as Tom Holland's Friendly Neighbourhood wall-crawler, but sure enough, this pairing proves to be one of the highlights of the movie.
The news that Daredevil: Born Again actor Jon Bernthal was set to make his big-screen debut as Frank Castle in Spider-Man: Brand New Day was met with a lot of excitement, but there were also some concerns that Castle would need to be watered down to a significant degree in order to function in the movie's PG-13 setting.
Even putting the less visceral on-screen depictions of violence aside, at his core, Frank is a dark, disturbed and disturbing individual, and it's difficult to imagine him fitting in to the relatively wholesome and family-friendly world of the Spider-Man franchise - at least not without stripping away a lot of the things that make this character who he is.
While chatting to THR in a 2021 interview, Bernthal gave an in-depth response when asked about the possibility of reprising the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
"That character, in particular, has real, real, real deep, deep meaning for me and resonance in me," he began. "He’s really in my heart, man. He’s really in my bones. I’m enormously protective of that character. I’ve said before that there’s nothing in this world more important to me than my wife and my kids, and only until you understand that kind of love and what it really means to willingly die for somebody, [do you understand] what it would be like if somebody took them from you. That’s a road and a darkness and a rage that really, really scares me and brings me to places that I’ve worked the last 20 years to get away from. So I was really grateful, respectful and weary of the places where that role took me and the world in which I had to live in."
"That being said, that’s where that character needs to be. It needs to be a level of darkness," he continued. "I think if there’s any let up on that character, you do a disservice to the character, to every iteration of the character, to every comic book that’s come before, and to all of the unbelievable fans of the character. This character means so much to people in the military. So like I said before, it’s not about whether you do the character; it’s about whether you can do it right, and I’m only interested in doing it right."
Bernthal was clearly given the go-ahead to make Castle every bit as unhinged and brutal as we've ever seen him in Born Again and One Last Kill, but there was zero chance he'd be given the same freedom in Brand New Day.
So, does the latest solo Spidey adventure "neuter" The Punisher? Yes and no.
For the most part, Frank is Frank. He doesn't swear and we obviously don't see him kill anyone, but he still clearly subscribes to a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to criminals, and Spidey mentions that murder is his preferred method of dispensing justice.
We do see a much softer side of Frank at the end of the movie, however.
When he inadvertently puts a bullet in Spider-Man's back while aiming for Jean Grey, a guilt-wracked Castle carries the badly wounded hero to the hospital and stays by his side until he wakes up. Once Peter regains consciousness, Frank even sheds a tear (well, almost), before putting on Spidey's mask to distract the crowd gathered outside while Parker makes his exit.
It's a fun sequence and works within the context of this movie, but an argument could be made that the Punisher simply wouldn't allow himself to get so close to any ally or potential friend (granted, he does care deeply for Karen Page, but that is a slightly different situation), and he definitely wouldn't let them know it.
Are we really to believe that Castle has changed that much since the events of the One Last Kill special? What's your take on this? Let us know in the comments.
Following the record-breaking success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spider-Man: Brand New Day begins a brand new chapter for Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Four years have passed since the events of No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult and living alone after erasing himself and the memories of him from those he loves. In a New York that no longer knows his name, he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to protecting his city as Spider-Man full-time.
But as the demands on him grow, he is put under increasing pressure. This triggers an unexpected physical change that threatens his existence, while a strange wave of crime emerges - and gives rise to one of the most dangerous threats he has ever faced.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers. The film is produced by Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad and Rachel O'Connor. The cast includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando and Mark Ruffalo.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to hit theaters on July 31, 2026.