Hell’s Kitchen is seeing a huge expansion to its world and villains should be scared. Now comes word that The Punisher is getting his own TV series and will star Jon Bernthal who originated the role in Netflix’s DareDevil.
Marvel has ordered a spin-off starring vigilante character introduced in Daredevil season 2. Bernthal will reprise his role as vengeful military veteran Frank Castle, who brings his own lethal form of justice to Hell’s Kitchen, according to EW.
Writer and executive producer Steve Lightfoot (Hannibal, Casualty) will serve as showrunner. Bernthal’s Punisher played a major part in “Daredevil” season two, which debuted on Netflix in March. The season served as Frank Castle’s origin story. Netflix has posted this teaser video for the upcoming series to Twitter, saying that “The Punisher” series is “coming soon.”
The Punisher is back. Locked and loaded.https://t.co/nGKCa2taEV
— Netflix US (@netflix) April 29, 2016
Marvel’s The Punisher marks the sixth series ordered (so far) as part of the collaboration between Netflix and Marvel Television, including the upcoming Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and the ensemble miniseries The Defenders – along with Jessica Jones and the aforementionedDaredevil. (And in case you’re wondering, as we are, whether Bernthal’s character will also be added to The Defenders lineup, that’s not yet clear – though it seems likely he’ll at least pop in for an appearance.)
Locked and loaded. #ThePunisher https://t.co/JpFOR2KHPP pic.twitter.com/WTiAzeNnyV
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) April 29, 2016
“We want to thank the fans who are clamoring for more of Jon’s stunning and powerful performance as Frank Castle from Marvel’s Daredevil,” said Executive Producer/Head of Marvel Television, Jeph Loeb in a press release, “Now combined with Showrunner Steve Lightfoot’s compelling writing, we’re thrilled to bring Marvel’s The Punisher to Netflix.”
Said Lightfoot, in a statement, “For me, the complexity and unpredictability of Frank Castle make him an incredibly compelling character and I couldn’t be more excited to dive into his world. After watching Jon’s performance in Marvel’s Daredevil I could not be more excited to be working with him to further develop and progress the story of this anti-hero in a show of his own.”
Word that Netflix was working on a potential Punisher spin-off was first reported by TV Line last summer. Netflix and Marvel are expected to publicly announce the project later Friday.
Just when Matt thinks he is bringing order back to the city, new forces are rising in Hell’s Kitchen. Now the Man Without Fear must take on a new adversary in Frank Castle and face an old flame – Elektra Natchios. Bigger problems emerge when Frank Castle, a man looking for vengeance, is reborn as The Punisher, a man who takes justice into his own hands in Matt’s neighborhood. Meanwhile, Matt must balance his duty to his community as a lawyer and his dangerous life as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, facing a life-altering choice that forces him to truly understand what it means to be a hero.
Marvel’s Daredevil season two will feature the return of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock (who moonlights as The Man Without Fear), Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson, Scott Glenn as Stick and Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple. The new season will also see Jon Bernthal debut as Frank Castle (aka the Punisher) with Elodie Yung also set to appear, playing the deadly assassin Elektra Natchios.
What do you think of the decision to spin off The Punisher? Sound off below in the comments section.
Photo Credit: Source