Marvel fans are getting a double dose of street-level action this May. Jon Bernthal is officially returning as Frank Castle in a new special titled The Punisher: One Last Kill. The project will stream on Disney+ starting May 12, which is also the same day the Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 finale arrives on the platform.
The official announcement came on March 24, 2026, when Marvel revealed the special’s title along with a teaser poster. Bernthal shared the news on his Instagram page, confirming that the character he first played nearly a decade ago is back for a one-off story before his next big screen appearance.
What We Know About The Punisher Special
The Punisher: One Last Kill is being made under the Marvel Television banner. It is a special presentation, similar to what Marvel did with Werewolf by Night in 2022. The project is expected to run around 60 minutes, making it slightly longer than previous Marvel specials.
Bernthal co-wrote the special with Reinaldo Marcus Green, who also directs. The two previously worked together on the HBO series We Own This City and the Oscar-winning film King Richard. Green brought in top talent behind the camera, with Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) handling the visuals.
Jason R. Moore is set to return as Curtis Hoyle, a role he played in the original Netflix Punisher series. Moore was spotted on set last summer, confirming his character’s involvement in the special.
Frank Castle’s Journey from Netflix to Disney+
Bernthal first stepped into the role of Frank Castle in 2016, during the second season of Netflix’s Daredevil. His performance as the war veteran turned vigilante quickly made him a fan favorite. The character became so popular that he received his own spin-off series, The Punisher, which ran for two seasons from 2017 to 2019.
After Netflix canceled its Marvel shows, fans wondered if they would ever see Bernthal’s Punisher again. The character eventually returned in 2025 for the first season of Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+. In that season, Castle teamed up again with Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock to fight against Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, who had become mayor of New York City.
Connection to Daredevil: Born Again Season 2
The Punisher: One Last Kill arrives on the same day as the Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 finale. While the timing suggests a connection between the two projects, Bernthal will not appear in the second season of Daredevil. Charlie Cox confirmed this week that scheduling issues prevented Frank Castle from showing up in the new episodes.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 starts streaming on March 24, 2026, with new episodes releasing weekly. The eight-episode season will build up to its finale on May 12, the same day fans can watch The Punisher: One Last Kill.
What the Title Could Mean
The special’s title, One Last Kill, raises questions about Frank Castle’s future. The title could point to a personal mission for the character, possibly connected to his family’s death or his ongoing war against criminals.
Set photos from last summer showed Castle standing across from a dark-haired woman in a wheelchair. Comic book fans quickly identified the character as Isabella Carmela Magdalena “Ma” Gnucci, a mafia boss who becomes one of the Punisher’s most memorable enemies. In the comics, Gnucci seeks revenge against Castle after he kills her sons, and she continues her pursuit even after being severely injured.
The Official Synopsis
Marvel released a brief synopsis for The Punisher: One Last Kill that gives some insight into the story:
“While Frank Castle looks for meaning beyond revenge, an unexpected force pulls him back into the fight.”
This suggests the special will explore a different side of Frank Castle, showing him trying to move past his violent life before something forces him to return to his Punisher identity.
What Comes Next for the Punisher
The Punisher: One Last Kill is not the last time audiences will see Bernthal in the role. He is confirmed to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which hits theaters on July 31, 2026. The film stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker and will also feature Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk and Michael Mando’s Scorpion.
Bernthal’s Frank Castle appeared in the first trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, showing the character interacting with Spider-Man. The film will mark the Punisher’s first appearance on the big screen since 2008’s Punisher: War Zone.
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Streaming Details for Global Audiences
The Punisher: One Last Kill will stream exclusively on Disney+. Viewers in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and India will all have access to the special on May 12. The release time is typically 12:00 AM PT (3:00 AM ET) for North American audiences, with other regions seeing the release throughout the day on May 12.
Disney+ offers the special as part of its standard subscription. The platform has been expanding its Marvel Television content, with Daredevil: Born Again already renewed through Season 3 and Wonder Man recently picked up for a second season.
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