A prominent former Marvel star debunked a big rumor that plagued Deadpool & Wolverine prior to its release.
The film sees the grand return of a handful of new faces on top of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. This includes Channing Tatum’s Gambit, Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Chris Evans’ Human Torch, and Dafne Keen’s X-23.
There were a couple of others who were rumored to be joining the fun as well. Alex Perez from The Cosmic Circus confidently claimed that Thomas Jane’s Punisher, Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Quicksilver, and Ben Affleck’s Daredevil were all part of the rebellion against Cassandra Nova in The Void.
One Key Deadpool & Wolverine Rumor Debunked By Former Marvel Star
In an exclusive interview with The Direct’s Russ Milheim, The Punisher (2004) actor Thomas Jane confirmed that he was not asked to return as his iconic take on Frank Castle for Deadpool & Wolverine.
While the actor simply answered the question with a "Nope," he did go on to explain how he likes Jon Bernthal’s Punisher:
"Nope. I like [Jon] Bernthal's Punisher. I think, you know, for me, it was always a little bit of a stretch. Frank Castle is supposed to be an Italian American. I'm not. I'm an Irish American. So for me, I had to dye the hair and sort of take on a persona, but Bernthal wears it so well, so I think they should stick with him."
When The Direct pitched the idea of him being a villain for Bernthal's Punisher one day, the actor replied: "Hey, that wouldn't be bad. I like that."
Was Punisher Never Really Considered for Deadpool & Wolverine?
With Thomas Jane confirming he was never asked to reprise his role as The Punisher in Deadpool & Wolverine, one might think that the character was truly never considered.
However, that might not be the full truth.
Recently released concept art confirmed that, at least in early development, characters like Ben Affleck’s Daredevil and Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider were considered. However, neither made it into the final film.
So Thomas Jane’s Punisher may have been briefly discussed, but those conversations never made it to the man himself. Though, at the very least, a Punisher was name-dropped in the final movie.
While it doesn’t seem like Jane is interested in returning to his role as Frank Castle, it’s exciting that he was intrigued by the prospect of maybe being a villain for Jon Bernthal’s Punisher.
Perhaps he could be Bushwacker, a cybernetically enhanced mercenary assassin. Another option could be Nicky Cavella, a relatively straightforward Mafia boss who could work well in the MCU’s grounded street-level corner.
Jon Bernthal's Punisher will be seen next in Daredevil: Born Again, which hits Disney+ in March 2025.
Deadpool & Wolverine is now playing in theaters worldwide.
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