A new report revealed that 2026's The Punisher reboot will make MCU history with its comic book villain. Starring longtime Punisher star Jon Bernthal, the Punisher Special Presentation will debut on streaming sometime next year, picking up the character's R-rated story after escaping Kingpin's clutches at the end of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1. Details on the character's solo story remain scarce, but there have been whispers about what Marvel Studios has planned for Bernthal's Frank Castle.
According to insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel Studios' upcoming Punisher Special Presentation will make history for Jon Bernthal's take on the character. He is reportedly set to take on a female lead villain for the first time in MCU history. After last battling the terrifying Jigsaw in The Punisher Season 2 on Netflix, this new threat will likely have roots in Marvel Comics, but who she is remains to be seen.
Richtman shared the news on his personal Patreon page, revealing he has heard that the MCU Punisher special is currently casting a female crime boss character:
"For 'The Punisher' Special, they are currently casting a female crime boss as the villain."
No specific actor or character names were attached to the report, but this has started a flurry of speculation among fans as the Marvel faithful begin to throw names out for who they think the character could be.
Jon Bernthal's take on Punisher has notably never gone up against a female lead villain in his R-rated Marvel sub-franchise, so far having fought off major threats varying from corrupt government officials like Paul Schulze's William Rawlins to comic book criminals like Ben Barnes' Jigsaw.
The Punisher Special Presentation is just one of several new streaming titles from Marvel Studios set for 2026, continuing the story of former marine Frank Castle as he seeks his own form of bone-breaking justice against those who have wronged him.
Jon Bernthal will return as the show's titular hero and serve as a co-writer on the project. Bernthal's Marvel character has also been confirmed for further stories in the MCU, joining the cast of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 alongside Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk.
Who Could The Punisher's Mystery Female Villain Be?
The next biggest question for many Marvel fans will likely be: Who could this mystery female Punisher villain be?
Looking at Punisher's long comic book history (which dates back to 1974), three names—Ma Gnucci, Lady Tanaka, and Viper—seem perfect candidates for the "female crime boss" branding mentioned in Daniel Richtman's report.
Ma Gnucci
Fans will recognize the Gnucci name from the first two seasons of The Punisher Netflix series as one of the crime families that Jon Bernthal's iconic antihero encounters in his ground-level costumed pursuit. However, so far, the criminal queenpin behind the Gnuccis has evaded the Punisher spotlight.
Ma Gnucci (aka Isabella Gnucci) is the matriarch of the Gnucci mafia family, missing her arms and legs after a devastating attack by Frank himself. She uses her sway in the New York Mayor's Office as well as the New York Police Department to operate her criminal empire unscathed both in and out of the Big Apple.
With Frank having killed several of her family members already in the Punisher Netflix series, most notably James J. Lorenzo's Tony Gnucci in Season 1, perhaps Isabella will come back with a vengeance, putting a price on The Punisher's head in hopes of enacting revenge on the no-hold-barred Marvel hero.
Lady Tanaka
Another likely candidate here is Lady Tanaka. Lady Tanaka is the ruthless leader of the Tanaka Yakuza family, operating in New York while sparring with the local mafia for territory.
She first appeared in the live-action Punisher film in 1989 as the movie's primary antagonist.
While she does not have the comic history of some of the other characters from Frank Castle's extensive rogues' gallery, she could add a new layer to the world of Jon Bernthal's Punisher character and bring another corner of the Marvel criminal world into his R-rated superhero sub-franchise.
Viper
The MCU has already introduced one character who has taken on the role of Madame Hydra, through Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Val. Ophelia Sarkissian also took on a leadership role at HYDRA in the comics before ditching the group and becoming a mercenary under the mantle of Viper.
Viper has encountered Frank Castle a few times in the annals of comic history, though she isn't strictly a Punisher villain. This could allow her to fit right in with other projects Marvel Studios has in the works. Perhaps Ophelia's evil organization roots could inspire a resurgence of HYDRA for The Punisher to face off against, as they try to make headway in New York City's criminal underworld.
Alternatively, Marvel Studios' take on the character could veer more into her merc side, seeing her overlooking guns for hire to spread her influence over The Big Apple.
