Punisher Star Jon Bernthal Reveals Why He Almost Didn't Return For Daredevil: Born Again

Since the 2015 Netflix series, it's hard to picture Charlie Cox's Daredevil without Jon Bernthal's portrayal of The Punisher. However, Bernthal recently shared insights into why he initially declined to reprise his role in the Disney+ revival, Daredevil: Born Again.

The actor, known for his role in The Wolf of Wall Street, revealed that his initial hesitation stemmed from the creative direction proposed for Frank Castle, The Punisher. "Ultimately, I didn't see it. I didn't see the version of Frank, and what they wanted from Frank [didn't] really make sense to me,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I thought [it] would not appeal to the fans and wouldn't be congruent. It was not something I was really interested in doing. So we had to walk away."

Following significant creative changes and the appointment of producer Dario Scardapane as the new showrunner after the strikes, Bernthal's perspective shifted. Having previously collaborated with Scardapane on The Punisher series, Bernthal felt more aligned with the new vision for Frank Castle. "They really brought me into the conversation," he explained, noting discussions with both Scardapane and Marvel about Frank's psychological and physical state in Born Again.

***Warning!** Spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again follow.