Today marks the first anniversary since Netflix canceled their hit Marvel series starring Jon Bernthal and now that the dust has settled, many fans still wonder what the future holds for The Punisher.
There’s no way to describe the disappointment that Netflix subscribers felt when they were told the news that Frank Castle would no longer be serving up his brand of bullet-ridden justice on the streaming giant or anywhere else for that matter. Fellow Marvel series Jessica Jones was also canceled that day, and this was all following Luke Cage, Iron Fist and even Daredevil getting the ax.
One thing fans of the Marvel antihero can get excited about though is the fact that the actor that brought Frank Castle to life so brilliantly on the small screen has no issue with rocking the skull on his chest once more. Bernthal has stated that he isn’t done playing the Punisher yet and will return to the role if the material makes it worth it.
Despite nothing official being announced, there are also reportedly multiple Defenders projects in development at Marvel, and one of them very well could involve Castle. There’ve also been reports of a third season taking place on the streaming service Hulu and the character featuring in a new show coming to Disney+. Not to mention rumors of Castle making an appearance in the much discussed Midnight Sons project. While all of this remains unconfirmed for now, Kevin Feige has also made some interesting comments regarding the Punisher‘s future, saying:
“I don’t know. There were a lot of great characters that were on those Netflix series, and I think there is a period of time…it’ll be a while before we could use any of them based on what the contracts were, so I’m not sure. And also, even answering that question is a spoiler. But there are some great Marvel characters there.”
Feige neither confirms nor denies that Frank is still on the agenda when it comes to the MCU. But the fact that it wasn’t an outright rejection of the subject bodes well for Castle’s chances at a comeback. Feige’s in charge of all of Marvel’s TV endeavors now, and it seems like he has a lot planned in that department. So, the fact that he seems somewhat open to the idea combined with the fact that Bernthal is good to go on suiting back up means that the odds don’t look so grim for a future where the character is back in action.
Until we get a definite confirmation on how, when, and where The Punisher will return though, fans can enjoy the MCU’s next big release, as Black Widow touches down in theaters on May 1st, 2020.
