Marvel Studios shared a first official HD look at a new female Punisher from a recent MCU release. Following a short break in action after Netflix's Defenders Saga, the Punisher is back in the spotlight through multiple properties on Disney+ and on the big screen. While this largely came to fruition through Jon Bernthal's live-action portrayal, one other take on the hero went more under the radar.
Marvel Studios released the first official HD images of Riri Williams' Punisher variant from What If...? Season 3. Shared by concept artist Justin Kim, the images highlight Riri in her Punisher garb, complete with the antihero's skull across her shirt and a long black coat flowing down her back.
Along with a pair of sunglasses over her eyes, this version of Riri Williams boasts an impressive cache of weaponry, including a missile launcher attached to her back. She also has one of her Ironheart-inspired blasters on her right hand and heavy artillery attached to both arms.
This image first showed up in the final sequence from What If...? Season 3's last episode, which highlighted variants of Marvel characters that were not seen in any episodes from the show. That montage also featured characters like Samurai Ghost Rider, Kingo's Iron Man, and the Blade variant of Moon Knight, who later appeared in Marvel Zombies.
In his caption, Kim felt the two characters were "a great mix" when using "[Riri's] similar encounter with violence" in her younger days for inspiration:
"I really thought the Punisher and Riri were a great mix. Given her similar tragic encounter with violence at a young age, I imagined a darker, rage-fueled Riri Williams seeking revenge against crime."
The Punisher recently returned to action for Marvel Studios after two seasons of his solo series on Netflix and his work in Daredevil Season 2. After appearing in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, he will be back in Born Again Season 2 and his own Punisher Special Presentation on Disney+. The character is also lined up for a role in 2026's Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Outside of the MCU, the Punisher has a long history on the big and small screen following his introduction in Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man #179 from 1974.
Dolph Lundgren played the first live-action Frank Castle in a 1989 Punisher solo movie, which came to theaters internationally but went straight to video in North America. That version lacked the character's signature skull logo, which was one of many reasons it did not perform well in its release.
In 2004, Lionsgate Films rebooted the franchise behind star Thomas Jane in an R-rated theatrical release, which also starred John Travolta, Roy Scheider, and future X-Men and MCU star Rebecca Romijn. Earning just over $54 million at the global box office, the film did not perform well with critics, who largely said it had a "by-the-numbers" revenge plot and tried to make up for it with excessive violence.
The antihero got yet another reboot in 2008 with the Punisher: War Zone movie, which featured the late Ray Stevenson in the leading role before he joined the MCU's Thor franchise.
The Punisher is in line for a major revival with Marvel Studios, finally getting his due shine alongside other R-rated heroes and bigger names like Spider-Man and the Hulk. Where he goes after Spider-Man 4 and his own Disney+ solo project is unknown, but Marvel Studios seems intent on keeping him in the spotlight.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
