Will we see The Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again? Details explored

Daredevil: Born Again is one of the most-anticipated shows of the year. The Disney+ series is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and follows Matt Murdock, aka the titular superhero, who is a blind lawyer with heightened senses.

Daredevil was previously a part of Netflix’s Marvel universe, which also featured iconic characters like Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, an anti-hero who stops at nothing to bring justice to criminals. Like Matt Murdock, The Punisher is also going to be seen again in Daredevil: Born Again.

In the Netflix universe, the character was played by Jon Bernthal, who is reprising his role in the Disney+ series. The actor was confirmed to be returning as the anti-hero in April 2024, when set photos from the show were released.

The Punisher is going to be a part of Daredevil: Born Again

The Punisher has been featured in the official trailer for Daredevil: Born Again. In Netflix’s Daredevil season 2, he was an enemy of Matt Murdock. The trailer shows the two meeting again, which could lead to some tense moments.

In one scene, Frank grabs Matt and slams him into a locker before realizing who he is. He stops after recognizing the vigilante, but the interaction hints that they might face off against each other. Again.

Jon Bernthal earlier expressed that he only has gratitude for being able to play The Punisher again. He also expressed satisfaction over how the new series will continue the legacy of his character and protect his integrity. Bernthal said in an interview with LADbible:

“You know, gratitude, but I've said it before it's really not about coming back. It's about how you come back, and it's about doing it right and preserving the integrity of the original project and the original work and what was brought to it, and that's what I'm really so grateful for.”

Who is The Punisher?

The Punisher’s character debuted in Daredevil season 2, before getting his own series in 2017, which aired two seasons on Netflix. Seeing the anti-hero face-to-face with Matt in Daredevil: Born Again is only going to get fans more excited.

Frank Castle is known for fighting crime in a brutal and violent way. Unlike regular superheroes, he does not have superpowers; instead, he is a former soldier who becomes an anti-hero after losing his family. The tragedy of their murder by gang members drove Frank to turn to violence in an attempt to obtain justice.

In the series The Punisher, Frank is not able to move on even after killing his family’s murderers. His life takes another turn when he meets David Lieberman, a former NSA analyst who goes by the name Micro.

David tells Frank about a conspiracy connected to his old military unit, Cerberus. This pulls Frank back into a dangerous world as he teams up with Micro to uncover the military's truth.

The original show focuses a lot on Frank’s life as a soldier. He is shown to be more than just a hero seeking revenge, as he is a broken man who fights to protect others from suffering the way he did.

Apart from The Punisher, other characters from Netflix’s Marvel universe will also be seen in Daredevil: Born Again, including Bullseye and Kingpin. The series stars Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, Margarita Levieva as Heather Glenn, and Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page.

The cast also includes Elden Henson as Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Zabryna Guevara as Sheila Rivera, Genneya Walton as BB Urich, Nikki M. James as Kirsten McDuffie, Clark Johnson as Cherry, and Wilson Bethel as Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter.