Marvel and Netflix surprised all of us comic-book aficionados by announcing that Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead) would be joining the cast of Daredevil in its sophomore run as antihero The Punisher, aka Frank Castle. Though less well-known than Avengers members, the character had powered his own films before, and there were rumors he might lead his own Marvel/Netflix series somewhere down the road.
Nevertheless, the character has been confirmed for Daredevil‘s second season, and now it’s coming out that the Punisher won’t be an ally of the Man Without Fear so much as an opponent. Nerdist reports that new co-showrunner Marco Ramirez, taking over from Steven S. DeKnight alongside Doug Petrie, is calling the upcoming season “Daredevil vs. the Punisher.”
The site’s report suggests that Daredevil will draw upon the comic-book storyline Daredevil vs. Punisher: Means and Ends, in which the two masked vigilantes battled for supremacy in Hell’s Kitchen as the city fell into anarchy following the Kingpin’s fall from power.
Of course, we always knew that Daredevil, who had vowed not to kill as part of his self-appointed position as the “hero this city needs,” would have issues with the Punisher’s more brutal brand of justice. In the comics, Castle was known for killing criminals in gruesome fashion, in hopes of sending a more frightening message to the evildoers of the world. That ideology differs vastly from Daredevil’s own never-take-a-life credo.
Given that Bullseye and Elektra are also expected to appear in some capacity next season, the Punisher won’t be the only newcomer making Matt Murdoch’s job a little harder, so it would be surprising to see him serve as the central antagonist. What seems more likely is a reluctant alliance forged after numerous battles between the equally adept superheroes.
Daredevil is expected to premiere its second season on Netflix next year.
