No Punisher Netflix Solo Series For Now
By Nick Tylwalk
It seems like everyone is hyped to see Jon Bernthal as the Punisher on Daredevil Season 2, but maybe the excitement needs to be dialed back just a tad when it comes to further plans for Frank Castle on Netflix.
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Reaction to Bernthal’s Punisher has been so strong ahead of the March 18 return of Daredevil that speculation ran rampant that he might get a show of his own, slightly modifying Marvel’s original Netflix game plan. A report in TVLine in January only added fuel to that particular fire, suggesting that Marvel was close to greenlighting a Punisher Netflix series.
As it turns out, that’s not happening, or at least not for the time being. Jeph Loeb, Marvel’s Head of Television shot down that idea pretty directly in a recent talk with Comic Book Resources.
While acknowledging the fact that fans are excited enough to discuss the idea, he also stated that the talk is just that for now.
"I think that’s something that people are speculating on, as opposed to something that’s actually happening. It’s certainly our hope that any of our characters will be embraced and that people want to see more of them."
As a cagey vet of the entertainment industry, Loeb knows better than to deny that it could ever happen. But Marvel appears committed to pushing ahead with its four solo series on Netflix — two of which, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, have yet to debut — second seasons for Daredevil and Jessica Jones and its Defenders mini-series.
It could also mean that there isn’t a story in place yet to support a Punisher Netflix series, and I think I speak for fans everywhere by saying it would be better to have a good plan in place than to simply push something out to strike while the iron is hot. Enjoy Bernthal expressing Castle’s unique view on crime and punishment on Daredevil, and we’ll see if it strikes enough of a chord for Marvel to change its mind.