Jon Bernthal Marvel return breaks runtime record

Jon Bernthal is making a comeback as Frank Castle in The Punisher for an extra-special Disney+ event that’s making waves in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This upcoming Punisher special, slated to last a full 60 minutes, is set to be Marvel Studios’ longest special to date, according to a Writer’s Guild of America listing.

So far, Marvel Studios has only released two special presentations: Werewolf By Night at 53 minutes and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special at 42 minutes. But Bernthal and director Reinaldo Marcus Green are set to shake things up with their untitled television special that will delve deeper into Castle’s storyline established in Netflix series Daredevil and The Punisher. Joining Bernthal will be supporting actors Jason R. Moore, Roe Rancell, and Mila Jaymes.

This special project was born out of Bernthal’s idea while working on Daredevil: Born Again, a Disney+ series that premiered last year. Bernthal first took on the role of the Punisher, a vigilant crime-fighter who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, during season two of Netflix’s Daredevil before the character got his very own spinoff show.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Bernthal promised fans that the hour-long special would stay true to the gritty, anti-hero character fans know and love, even with the move from Netflix to Disney’s platform. “It’s going to be dark,” Bernthal emphasized, ensuring that the essence of the Punisher won’t be watered down.

This game-changing project, filmed over 12 days in New York City last summer, is scheduled to hit Disney+ later this year, around the same time as the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in theaters in July. Bernthal, who will also make his theatrical debut as Castle in the MCU film, alongside stars Tom Holland and Zendaya, has hinted at an epic showdown between Spider-Man and The Punisher.

Excitingly, Bernthal shared, “Around that same time, there will also be this Punisher special that’s coming out, that I think will be as high-octane Punisher as you’ve ever seen.”

With the promise of high-octane action and authentic storytelling, Marvel fans can anticipate an unforgettable experience when Jon Bernthal’s Punisher hits the screen.