Jon Bernthal says fans will see the same Frank Castle whether he is sharing the screen with Spider-Man in theaters or starring in his own violent Disney+ special. The actor explained that Spider-Man: Brand New Day and an upcoming Punisher Special Presentation were filmed back-to-back and designed to feel like one continuous story for the character. Bernthal promised the special will deliver the intense action Punisher fans expect.
The Plan For One Consistent Punisher
A key challenge was making the character work in two different types of Marvel stories. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a big summer movie with a PG-13 rating, while the Disney+ Punisher special is expected to have a mature, TV-MA tone similar to the character’s past Netflix series. Jon Bernthal said creating a seamless version of Frank Castle for both projects was a priority for everyone involved.
“I think what was really important to me and to Destin and to Tom is that we believed that The Punisher could walk off of the Spider-Man set and could walk onto the special set, and I do believe that we achieved that,” Bernthal told Screen Rant.
This approach means the Punisher that audiences see in the July 2026 Spider-Man film will be the exact same man who headlines his own special around the same time. Bernthal teased that the special will be “as high-octane Punisher as you’ve ever seen”.
How The Two 2026 Projects Connect
While specific story details are secret, the filming schedule and Bernthal’s comments show a direct link. The actor shot his scenes for both projects between July and August 2025. Marvel Studios executive Brad Winderbaum confirmed the Punisher special has finished filming and is now being edited.
The special is also co-written by Jon Bernthal and director Reinaldo Marcus Green. Bernthal has spoken about working closely with military veterans to shape the story, aiming to honor the community that strongly identifies with the character.
The Punisher’s last appearance was in Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+, where he helped Matt Murdock take down a corrupt police task force before ending up in prison. He will not appear in the second season of that show. The new special is expected to continue his story from that point and lead into his role in the Spider-Man film.
Punisher Joins a Crowded Spider-Man Cast
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will feature a large cast of heroes and villains. Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker, with Zendaya and Jacob Batalon expected back as MJ and Ned. They will be joined by Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk and Sadie Sink in an undisclosed role.
The film will also introduce new villains to the MCU. Michael Mando will return as the Scorpion, and Marvin Jones III will play the classic Spider-Man foe Tombstone. How the Punisher fits into a story with these characters remains to be seen. Director Destin Daniel Cretton and writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers are crafting the story.
The fourth Spider-Man film is described as a “fresh start” for Peter Parker following the world-altering events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Introducing a street-level vigilante like the Punisher suggests the film may explore a grittier side of New York City.
What Fans Can Expect Next
The next step for Frank Castle is the release of the two connected projects in 2026. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has a confirmed release date of July 31, 2026. The Punisher special does not have an official date but is planned to come out around the same time, possibly in the summer or early fall.
This strategy of releasing connected stories close together is new for Marvel. It allows a character known for intense, standalone stories to become part of the larger MCU narrative without losing his core identity. For fans of Bernthal’s performance, it means getting more of the Punisher in a single year than ever before.
The special’s production used high-level talent, including Academy Award-winning cinematographer Robert Elswit. This indicates Marvel is investing significant resources to make the project stand out. For now, audiences must wait for trailers and official plot details to understand exactly how Spider-Man and the Punisher’s paths will cross.
