E
Erik Amaya
Guest
After several years away from the maelstrom of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — or even the adjacent corner he typically inhabited – everyone was more than ready to welcome back Frank Castle (aka the Punisher) in the first season of Daredevil: Born Again. But as that series begins its second season, it seems like the Punisher is, once again, missing.
Thankfully, though, we know he will be going solo again very soon with The Punisher: One Last Kill, the upcoming Marvel Special Presentation on Disney+ set to debut this May. But, you may be wondering, what is a “Marvel Special Presentation?” You may also be confused why Frank is on his own again. Let’s dive into what it means for the Punisher to make a skull-shaped hole on Disney’s streaming platform and how One Last Kill might tie into the character’s next appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Previously On The Punisher
(Photo by Jessica Miglio/Netflix)
One thing to consider is where the Netflix Punisher series left off. After finding allies in the United States intelligence apparatus, Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) declined the chance to keep Punishing on behalf of Uncle Sam. That was, of course, many years ago, before the Blip that saw half of Earth’s population vanish for five years. While it will never matter whether or not Frank was Blipped — indeed, the very notion of it was unknown to Netflix and the makers of their Punisher series despite its second season airing in 2019 — Born Again’s canonization of that first Daredevil series and, likely, The Punisher, means his mental state still carries forward.
From his Born Again appearance, it’s clear Frank continued to Punish those whom he considered breaking the law. It is also clear Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) continued to find his methods unpalatable even as he turned to Frank for aid. Nonetheless, Frank assisted Daredevil as Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) anti-vigilante task force became more relentless in looking for them both.
In his final Born Again season 1 scenes, Frank busted out of prison following a pretty hellacious beatdown by AVTF agents. But as mentioned in the first episode of Born Again’s second season, Matt and Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) have no idea what became of him in the six months of story time between the two seasons.
So, where is he?
According to reports, One Last Kill will see Frank living a life without the Punisher when a new development brings him back into the dark world he inhabited for, some would say, far too long. And considering the timing of Born Again, One Last Kill, and Brand New Day, the events of the special will likely put Frank back in New York for his “team up” with the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man (Tom Holland).
The Special (And Bloody) Streets
(Photo by Marvel Television)
Since the special was filmed in New York City in the summer of 2025, it’s safe to assume Frank will be back in the 10 square blocks he and many of the other street-level Marvel characters protect, defend, and occasionally make a warzone. So expect it to still feel like the Manhattan of Born Again.
But just as important as the setting of One Last Kill is the format: a Marvel Special Presentation. First utilized for October 2022’s Werewolf by Night, a Marvel Special is a single-episode tale, running anywhere between 45 and 60 minutes. The second presentation, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, was released a month later to coincide with that year’s winter holidays and to set up an important plot point in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It is currently unclear if One Last Kill will tee up something for Brand New Day — beyond Frank Punishing again — or be more freestanding like Werewolf by Night.
But considering the heaviness of the Netflix Punisher series, we can see how a one-off special would appeal to Marvel, Disney, and Bernthal himself. Frank’s grim journey is much easier to watch in smaller installments.
The Punisher And The Punished
(Photo by Giovanni Rufino/Marvel)
Naturally enough, Bernthal returns as Frank — a character often so static and caught up in his one motivation, that it will be interesting to see him make an earnest attempt at living a life with peace. Also, as the most consistent actor to play the Punisher, Bernthal has a unique perspective on the character. More on that in a moment.
Joining him for One Last Kill is Jason R. Moore as Curtis Hoyle, a returning character from the Netflix series. In that program, he is a Navy veteran who runs a support group for those who, like him, lost limbs in combat. As revealed in the trailer, however, Curtis appears as one of several hallucinations plaguing Frank as he attempts to find peace. But even as an aspect of Frank’s mind, he makes a good philosophical foil.
Other actors in the special include Roe Rancell as Dennis and Mila Jaimes as Charli, with Chelsea Brea, Dominick Mancino, Evelyn O. Vaccaro, and Tom Johnson in undisclosed roles. Additionally, set photos reveal a Gnucci restaurant will be part of the plot, but it is unknown if the infamous Ma Gnucci from the “Welcome Back Frank” comic book storyline will finally make her debut. The Gnucci crime family was mentioned in at least one episode of The Punisher, with James J. Lorenzo appearing as Tony Gnucci.
That said, Ma Gnucci is the sort of adversary we’d love to see Bernthal’s Frank confront at some point.
Defining One Last Kill
(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
Taking the helm of the special is Reinaldo Marcus Green, known for films like King Richard and the television miniseries We Own This City , both of which feature Bernthal. While his movies tend to be biopics, his TV work suggests the sort of grit needed for Frank’s war on crime. Green also co-wrote the script with Bernthal, who makes the leap to a creative on top of playing Frank.
One Last Kill first appeared in the actor’s mind during the troubled production of Born Again’s first season. Bernthal reportedly quit the series when it was meant to be a more lighthearted legal show. His concern: The producers were moving Frank away from what he believed Frank should be. But after the 2024 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Marvel replaced the show’s original creative team with Punisher veteran Dario Scardapane. Bernthal returned and offered some notes regarding Frank’s place in the story. The end result directly leads, at least emotionally, into One Last Kill. Reports indicate the special will be rated TV-MA, which is consistent with the Netflix Punisher series and the tone of Born Again‘s second year.
Executive producing the special is the Marvel Studios and Marvel Television team, which includes Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, and Sana Amanat — names that should be quite familiar from the Born Again credits and elsewhere. Amanat, for example, is one of the creators of Ms. Marvel. Green and Bernthal also serve as executive producers.
Other crew include director of photography Robert Elswit, known for There Will Be Blood and Nightcrawler; production designer Michael Shaw of Orange is the New Black fame; costume designer Emily Gunshor from Born Again; and editor Melissa Lawson Cheung, another Born Again veteran.
When The Punisher Resumes
(Photo by Marvel)
The Punisher: One Last Kill will debut May 12, 2026 on Disney+. The events of the special are reportedly concurrent with Born Again’s second season — which led some to believe it would be released at the same time as that series. Additionally, Bernthal said his scenes in Brand New Day will feel consistent with the character as seen in One Last Kill. Based on the glimpse of him in the film’s trailer, we’re not so sure. Then again, Spidey’s team-ups with Frank in the comics always end up both bloody and funny for those involved. Is it possible Frank will have a sense of humor? That remains to be seen.
Thumbnail image by Marvel Studios
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