Marvel Studios is bringing back a major Netflix star for its The Punisher reboot. The MCU has been getting the whole "Defenders Saga" band back together on Disney+, with major stars like Charlie Cox's Daredevil, Jon Bernthal's Punisher, and Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones making a comeback. They have also been joined by much of their supporting casts, starting with Daredevil: Born Again and soon to continue with The Punisher's 2026 Disney+ Special Presentation.
A video captured on The Punisher's untitled Special Presentation set during filming from July to August, actor Jason M. Moore was spotted alongside Jon Bernthal, confirming he will reprise his role as Curtis Hoyle on Disney+ in 2026.
Hoyle played a major role in both seasons of The Punisher on Netflix as a former U.S. Navy Corpsman who served alongside Frank Castle. Having lost a prosthetic leg in his military service, Hoyle now runs a veteran support group in New York City, helping those with PTSD and other post-service struggles.
He acts as a sidekick to Castle, often serving as his empathetic moral compass, not condoning his brutal vigilante activities but assisting him as a behind-the-scenes ally. That said, Hoyle proved in The Punisher that, despite his disability, he can still hold his own in combat, albeit in a more restrained way than Castle.
Meanwhile, Bernthal's Punisher will reportedly be getting another sidekick in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, who is expected to be a Black female character. Speculation is running wild on who this mystery character may be, with some suggesting she will be a race-swapped take on Rachel Cole-Alves.
The untitled Punisher reboot special is co-written by Bernthal and King Richard director Reinaldo Marcus Green. The special will pit Frank Castle against a disabled female crime boss, Ma Gnucci, who, in Marvel Comics, seeks revenge against the street-level anti-hero for killing her sons.
Is The Punisher's Special a Full-On Netflix Reunion?
The Punisher may not be getting a full-on reboot series akin to Daredevil: Born Again, as Jessica Jones may be next up for that honor, but his R-rated Disney+ Special Presentation will offer a chance to revisit that world for around an hour.
Currently, the cast is limited, with only Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle and Jason R. Moore's Curtis Hoyle confirmed to reprise their Netflix roles. Additionally, Roe Rancell will play Dennis, and an unknown actress will play Ma Gnucci.
It's unclear whether any more of The Punisher's supporting cast will return on Disney+, but its limited runtime may restrict further appearances. That said, perhaps, if the Special Presentation is successful, fans could see the Netflix series revived in Born Again-esque fashion or even continued on the big screen.
One Netflix ally who looks unlikely to return on Disney+ is The Punisher's legendary hacker ally Micro, as he was played by Ebon Mass-Bachrach, who is now busy elsewhere in the MCU as Ben Grimm/The Thing in The Fantastic Four.
