Despite their series having ended over three years ago, the Punisher and the other Defenders are the talk of the town. Whether it was their Marvel shows making the transition from Netflix to Disney+ or Daredevil getting his MCU introduction in the upcoming She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, there is plenty to be excited about for fans of these street-level supes.
But what is happening with the rest of the Defenders crew? There have been talks of a Jessica Jones introduction to the MCU coming shortly, but fans are also itching to know what is going to happen with Jon Bernthal's Punisher. Bernthal has not been shy when it comes to addressing how the character would work alongside other Marvel Studios projects, saying that he would come back if it were "[at] a [specific] level of darkness."
Well, turns out that fans may not have to wait long for news about at least one more Defender, as more Punisher news has seemingly been leaked.
More Punisher Incoming?
Appearing at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, Netflix Marvel star Rosario Dawson seemingly confirmed that the MCU will bring back the Punisher
Speaking at a panel on Sunday, the Claire Temple actress said she had "found out yesterday that the Punisher was happening again" and was excited because the Jon Bernthal series was the only of the Netflix Marvel shows that Dawson did not appear in:
"I hadn't heard that announcement, but I found out yesterday that the Punisher was happening again. So, I feel like it's my second chance, because that's the only one of the shows I wasn't in and I love Jon Bernthal. So, lets all make it happen collectively guys.
It's unclear whether Dawson meant a reboot of the series or a return for Bernthal in the role.
Update: Rosario Dawson has addressed her comments made during the panel, clarifying on Twitter that she heard the rumor from a fan during a signing and has no direct knowledge of the existence of an upcoming Punisher project:
"I can’t be trusted…! Getting intel from fans during signings is iffy apparently. My bad. I get excited. Confirmation is key when you’re told what you want to hear…"
When Will Punisher Return?
Oh no! What is happening at Marvel Studios? That is two accidental slips of unannounced projects in less than a week.
Rosario Dawson has made a mistake here, but it is now just a matter of what exactly she is talking about. It is currently unknown if this Punisher project will be a full reboot, a continuation from Punisher Season 2, or if it's just Jon Bernthal coming back to cameo or play a bigger role alongside the likes of Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock.
Cox has made it clear that he wants Bernthal back, asking the question, "Who could do a better version of The Punisher than Jon Bernthal?" But Bernthal has been adamant that he is only coming back if it is done right. So, if it were to actually happen, when can fans actually expect to see the character on-screen?
Well, with Daredevil: Born Again on the calendar, and the potential for a couple of Netflix characters to show up in She-Hulk, Bernthal's return could be sooner rather than later. Right now, Born Again feels like the perfect place to drop the Punisher for more super-powered fun, going from there into his own series similar to how it was done on Netflix.
