Before the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there was some significant success with Marvel Comics characters headlining their own films in the 2000s. Of course, there were the large-scale Spider-Man and X-Men films, but other characters got a shot, like Ghost Rider and Blade.
The Punisher was a 2004 entry bringing Marvel’s infamous anti-hero vigilante to life. The character had been previously seen in a 1989 film starring Dolph Lundgren, although that had few connections to the comics (he didn’t even wear the iconic skull shirt) and barely got a theatrical release.
The 2004 film cast Thomas Jane as Frank Castle, an FBI agent whose entire family is wiped out by mobster Howard Saint (John Travolta) as payback for Frank killing Saint’s son in a drug deal gone bad. Surviving, Castle takes on the persona of the Punisher to seek revenge by methodically taking apart Saint's empire and turning him against his own friends and family.
The film was a mild success, getting $54.7 million off its $33 million budget. But in a recent talk with Comic Book Movie while discussing his new film Frontier Crucible, actor Thomas Jane not only indicated that he wouldn’t return to the part if the chance came up but that he felt he was the wrong choice from the start.
“I was miscast as Frank Castle. He’s an Italian. He’s got black hair and a whole different sort of lineage… I’m not that guy. I had to dye my hair black and become a different guy. I’m happy the part is now played by someone who is more right for that role. I had fun, and I did the best I could with it. I’m very grateful for it, but I’m not that guy.”
Jane isn't the only one who felt the movie didn't work. The film's failure to be a big hit led to a reboot, 2008’s Punisher: War Zone, with Ray Stevenson in the titular role and it was much more violent. However, Jane is likely referring to Jon Bernthal, who currently plays the role in the MCU. The star, now most closely-associated with the role, first took on the part in Netflix's Daredevil, which led to his own spinoff series, and he recently returned in Daredevil: Born Again. Now, he is preparing to return in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day as well as a Special Presentation for Disney Plus focused solely on his character.
Jane may be being a bit too hard on himself as he did a good job in the role as The Punisher. He captured Frank Castle’s haunted demeanor, his cold attitude and the need for revenge overwhelming all else. He was let down by the script as this Punisher played a long series of mental games against Saint, which was a bit too complex for the character. He did shine in moments like a brawl with the burly Russian and the final showdown with Saint.
War Zone gave fans a more accurate Punisher, relying on his weapons, while Bernthal captures the darker mood of the character. Yet for the first modern big-screen outing, Jane did as good a job as he could with the script. A sequel would have given him more material and likely been closer to the comic book version of the character, and maybe it could have been a bigger hit.
As it is, Jane’s words indicate any chance he returns as the Punisher is close to nil, yet there are still many who are fans of his version of this Marvel favorite - a Marvel favorite who deserved a longer run on the big screen.
The Punisher (2004) is currently streaming on Tubi.