The next adventures of Marvel Studios' street-level storytelling in 2026 are set to include more guts and gore than in the past.
Marvel Studios has recently embraced more mature content, marking a shift from its traditionally PG-13 tone. This move is most evident with Deadpool & Wolverine, the studio's first R-rated theatrical release, which leans into edgier humor and graphic violence.
The MCU has also been expanding this approach to streaming with Daredevil: Born Again, a gritty Disney+ series that is only going to expand its darker stories.
Marvel Studios' 2026 Rated-R Projects
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 continues Marvel Studios' gritty, grounded take on the iconic street-level hero, picking up where the first season left off with Wilson Fisk declaring martial law over New York City.
The new season, consisting of eight episodes, follows Matt Murdock as he leads a resistance against Fisk’s authoritarian grip, which has criminalized vigilantes.
Showrunner Dario Scardapane returns, along with directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, to maintain the darker tone and serialized storytelling introduced in the creatively overhauled first season.
Season 2 is once again rated TV-MA, the television equivalent of Rated-R, making it one of the most mature entries in the Marvel Studios catalog.
Returning cast members include Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, and Wilson Bethel, with new faces like Matthew Lillard and Lili Taylor joining the ensemble.
The Punisher Special Presentation
Marvel Studios is officially bringing Frank Castle back to the spotlight in a new Punisher Special Presentation for Disney+.
Coming off of his explosive Daredevil: Born Again finale appearance, Jon Bernthal will reprise his iconic role and is also co-writing the script alongside director Reinaldo Marcus Green.
This standalone TV-MA project, slated for a 2026 release, will likely take place between Born Again Seasons 1 and 2, but that is unconfirmed.
Per Entertainment Weekly, Marvel's Brad Winderbaum described the special as "a shotgun blast of a story" that combines brutal action with raw emotional weight.
While plot details remain under wraps, Winderbaum emphasized that Bernthal's intimate understanding of Frank Castle's pain and moral complexity is central to the project.
This Special Presentation follows Marvel's successful one-offs like Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, continuing the studio's efforts to explore more side stories on streaming.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 is now streaming on Disney+.
