Jon Bernthal's skull-cracking Marvel hero will make MCU history for the character with this 2026 Punisher movie villain. Bernthal's Kevlar-wearing anti-hero is set to make his MCU movie debut next year, appearing alongside Tom Holland's Peter Parker in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In that film, he is said to work alongside and against Holland's wall-crawler to take on the various villainous forces that have befallen New York City.
However, who exactly Punisher (and Spidey) will fight remains a massive question for fans. Names like Mr. Negative, Scorpion, and even the Hulk have been thrown around, but nothing is official in terms of the movie's primary big bad. No matter what, though, a new report suggested that Bernthal's Punisher will make MCU history with his upcoming big-screen appearance, specifically in terms of how he relates to one of the movie's many villains.
According to a new report from insider Daniel Richtman, Spider-Man 4 will see the Punisher clash with the villainous Tombstone, marking the first time Punisher has fought a super-powered villain on screen. Richtman wrote, "Punisher and Tombstone will be in direct conflict [in the new movie]," confirming at least one of the movie's upcoming hero vs villain stand-offs.
Tombstone was recently cast in the upcoming web-slinging epic, being played by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse voice actor Marvin Jones III (who is also set to return to voice the character in 2027's Beyond the Spider-Verse).
To this point, Punisher villains in the MCU have been mainly grounded, criminal characters, taking on names like Jigsaw, Agent Orange, and various New York-based gangs. Tombstone differs from those past foes in that he notably has superpowers. He is a criminal kingpin with superhuman strength, durability, and reflexes.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will 'thwip' onto theater screens on July 31, 2026. The new MCU blockbuster from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton will once again follow Tom Holland's Peter Parker/Spider-Man as he balances life as a fledgling 20-something New Yorker with being the city's web-slinging protector. Holland will be joined this time by several big names, including Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Mando, Sadie Sink, Zendaya, and Tramell Tillman (read more about the Spider-Man 4 cast here).
What's Been Confirmed About Punisher's Spider-Man 4 Involvement?
Punisher's Look
While looks at the new Spider-Man movie are scant, fans have gotten a sneak peek at Jon Bernthal's Punisher look for the film. The former Daredevil actor shared a shirtless selfie from the set of the super-powered blockbuster, showing off some battle damage his Marvel character will sport in the movie.
It seems as though Punisher will have shorter hair than he did in his last on-screen appearance in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 but will maintain the scruffy beard he had in that series.
Outside of that, this look is par for the Punisher course regarding Bernthal's take on the character. His scratches and scars (seen in the on-set selfie) indicate that he has been through some things coming into Spider-Man 4.
Punisher's Van
The most significant upgrade the Punisher will get in Spider-Man: Brand New Day is to his decked-out battle van. The Punisher van has been a part of Frank Castle's arsenal since his debut back in Daredevil Season 2, but his rolling run vault on wheels will see a leveling up in the new MCU film.
The van, as confirmed by photos taken from the set of Spider-Man 4 in Glasgow, Scotland, was seen sporting a new black paint job with the white Punisher skull emblazoned on the front hood.
It also appears to have a new reinforced bumper and a few other minor structural upgrades, allowing this mobile base of operations to enter the heat of battle without concern for failing or breaking down.
Timeline Placement
The only other major Punisher detail confirmed for the upcoming Spider-Man movie is the film's placement on the MCU timeline. This is important, as the Punisher has a busy 2026 ahead of him, with appearances in his Disney+ Special Presentation, Brand New Day, and the upcoming second season of Daredevil: Born Again.
According to known insider Alex Perez, Brand New Day occurs after the Punisher Special Presentation and Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 events.
This could mean that the war between Daredevil, his fellow vigilantes, and the terrifying Mayor Wilson Fisk in New York City may be over by the time Spider-Man 4 rolls around. Or (if things in Born Again Season 2 did not go to plan), things could be worse than ever, putting the pressure on Spidey and the rest of New York's crime-fighting community.
