We’re used to Marvel’s Netflix shows making oblique references to the Avengers, like a nod to “that green dude” here or a kid dressed up as Captain America there. It turns out though that The Punisher season 2 actually featured an easily-missed easter egg relating to a hero from the other side.
An eagle-eyed Reddit user has shared a screenshot from episode 1, from the scene where Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) meets the young son of a woman he spent the night with. It looks like the kid’s a big fan of the Dark Knight, too, as his backpack has a Batman logo on it. Specifically, the emblem from the 1966 TV series.
DC easter eggs in the MCU aren’t all that common, but we do often see Marvel easter eggs in The CW’s Arrowverse. There’ve been numerous references to Marvel heroes and movies throughout the various shows which suggest that they exist in the DC shared universe. And now, it seems like the Marvel/Netflix series are following suit and establishing that the Distinguished Competition is around in the MCU as well.
Of course, there’s also another DC connection in The Punisher season 2. The evil Eliza Schultz is played by Annette O’Toole, most known for her two roles in Superman adaptations – she was Lana Lang opposite Christopher Reeve in Superman III and Martha Kent, mother to Tom Welling’s young Supes, on Smallville.
What’s more is that funnily enough, another Punisher star has announced that he’d love to play Batman at some point. Ben Barnes – who portrays Frank’s nemesis Billy “Jigsaw” Russo – recently stated that he’s interested in tackling the character of Bruce Wayne in a “completely fresh” way. He’s in luck, too, as it sounds like director Matt Reeves wants much the same thing from his upcoming movie, The Batman.
Tell us, did you spot any other interesting easter eggs in The Punisher season 2? If so, let us know in the comments section down below.