The Punisher‘s second season arrived on Netflix over the weekend and given how enjoyable it was, it should’ve been a time to celebrate for fans of the antihero. However, with the current state of the streaming service’s corner of the MCU, it was actually a bittersweet weekend for many. Though it’s great to have more of Frank Castle on our screens, the fanbase also can’t help but to think that it’ll surely be any day now before the show receives the axe.
After all, towards the end of 2018, we had to watch as Netflix pulled the plug on Iron Fist, Luke Cage and Daredevil, which pretty heavily suggests that The Punisher and Jessica Jones are next in line to be cancelled. And though we’d be shocked if either show lived to see another season, the team behind Castle’s solo series is definitely hoping to get the chance to bring us a third outing.
Producer Jeph Loeb spoke to Entertainment Weekly recently and told the outlet that they’re all ready to go in regards to season 3. At this point, they’re just waiting for Netflix to give them the green light.
“We would love that, and nothing would make us happier than to work with those talented writers and crew,” Loeb told the entertainment news outlet, “As I have repeatedly said, it is not our decision. We are ready to go and would love to do so. It is Netflix’s call to make.”
Showrunner Steve Lightfoot also chimed in, explaining why he ended the current run the way he did:
“We were finished before any of this started happening. I left [season 2] on that final shot that was just meant to [make people go], “Wow, I can’t wait to see season 3.” That was it. That was what I want them to take away, and it’s like any show — if you’ve been in this business long enough, we’ve all worked on shows that got canceled that you wish hadn’t. I just hope we made a great show.… My philosophy is to always make every season like it could be your last. Don’t save anything for next season, even if that means you’ve painted yourself into a corner. But make every season the best it can be, and hopefully, it speaks for itself.”
While The Punisher season 2 has found itself with mixed reviews from critics so far, it’s definitely a must-watch for fans who’ve followed the Defenders-verse from day one. And though it wasn’t as compelling as the show’s first run, it was still thoroughly enjoyable, with Jon Bernthal giving another terrific performance as the titular character.
Hopefully, then, Netflix will be smart and decide to bring us one more season to watch Frank Castle dish out the pain. Though given what’s happened recently with the other Defenders-verse shows, we wouldn’t hold our breath for that to happen.
