Punisher"s MCU Debut Just Got Way More Exciting 5 Years After His Last Appearance
Summary
- The Punisher's MCU debut in Daredevil: Born Again is highly anticipated after recent changes from Marvel, indicating a shift towards darker and grittier storytelling.
- The first trailer for Echo, Marvel's first TV-MA show, promises a level of violence and brutality reminiscent of Netflix's Defenders Saga series, suggesting a more mature direction for the MCU.
- Allowing The Punisher to maintain his trademark violence in the MCU will enhance the complexity of his character, as it raises morally questionable questions and blurs the line between hero and villain in Frank Castle's narrative.
The Punisher is confirmed to make his MCU debut in Daredevil: Born Again, and his arrival is even more exciting after recent changes from Marvel. Jon Bernthal made his first appearance as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Daredevil Season 2 on Netflix. After his character became a fan favorite, Netflix and Marvel green-lit a spinoff, which premiered in 2017 and ran for two seasons. Since the Netflix Marvel universe ended, many wanted Bernthal to jump over to the MCU. However, it was hard to imagine Disney approving that since The Punisher isn't family-friendly.
Hope for The Punisher's return rose when the MCU brought Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin and Charlie Cox's Daredevil into the main timeline. However, Castle is still a character so closely tied to graphic violence that it'd be hard to adapt that for a universe that has remained chiefly PG-13. Now, there should be more excitement for Punisher's MCU debut as the first trailer for Echo shows Marvel may be moving toward delivering darker and grittier stories.