Jon Bernthal is back as the gritty Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, in Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again, and fans are loving it—but he almost didn’t make it to the screen. In a March 19, 2025, chat with Entertainment Weekly, Bernthal spilled that he walked away from the original version of the show because Marvel’s first take on his character just wasn’t clicking. “I couldn’t get behind it,” he said. “The way they wanted to handle Frank didn’t feel right to me, and I didn’t think it would vibe with the fans or stay true to who he is. It wasn’t something I wanted to do, so I had to step away.”
A Rough Start for Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again, which kicked off on March 4, 2025, brings back Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, picking up the dark, punchy vibe of Netflix’s Daredevil (2015–2018). Bernthal, who first crushed it as The Punisher in Daredevil Season 2 and led his own show, The Punisher (2017–2019), signed on in 2023. But things got messy early on. Marvel shot six episodes before hitting pause in September 2023, scrapping a bunch of footage and swapping out the original showrunners for Dario Scardapane, a Punisher vet, to bring back that Netflix edge.
Bernthal’s exit came from how much he cares about Frank Castle, a broken vigilante fueled by his family’s murder. The early pitch didn’t capture Frank’s raw, in-your-face intensity, so he pushed back, not wanting to shortchange the character or the fans.
A Big Fix Brought Him Back
Marvel’s big do-over changed the game. Scardapane, who’d teamed up with Bernthal on The Punisher, dialed up the grit and brought back fan favorites like Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson). “They really listened to me,” Bernthal told EW. “We got deep into where Frank’s at mentally, physically, all of it.” He gave props to second-unit director Phil Silvera, stunt double Eric Linden, and Marine Raider Nick Koumalatsos for making sure Frank’s vibe—both his moves and his mindset—felt real.
Frank shows up in Episode 4, “Sic Semper Systema,” in a heavy, electric scene with Matt. Matt’s hunting a killer using a bullet with the Punisher’s skull logo, and when he tracks Frank down, things get intense. Frank pokes at Matt about Foggy’s death and nudges him to let his darker side loose. “There’s a bit of Frank in everyone,” Bernthal said, loving how the scene digs into their messy connection. “Frank sees himself in Matt, and Matt knows he’s got some Frank in him, too.”
What’s Next for Frank
Bernthal’s not just stopping at Born Again. He’s co-writing and starring in a Punisher special for Disney+ dropping in 2026, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard). “We’ve got something really special lined up,” he told EW. “It’s the gut-punching, no-filter Frank—complex, brutal, where every hit hurts, and he’s not here to make fans comfortable.” The special will lean into his Born Again role, where he’s like the devil whispering in Matt’s ear, pushing him toward revenge.
Bernthal’s early bailout shows how much he’s got Frank’s back. “It’s opened the door to the Frank Castle I’ve always wanted to play,” he told EW, teasing more action in Born Again’s later episodes and a confirmed Season 2.
Nailing It for Fans and Frank
Bernthal’s choice to walk and then come back proves he’s all in for keeping The Punisher real—tough, tragic, and true to his core. The show’s big rethink turned Born Again into the gritty follow-up fans wanted. As Daredevil: Born Again drops new episodes weekly on Disney+, Bernthal’s hard-hitting Frank Castle is right where he belongs, and he’s playing him his way.