The Punisher: Rumors of a sequel to One Last Kill starring Jon Bernthal

Exciting rumor: "The Punisher: One Last Kill" is reportedly set to continue. Reportedly, Marvel just needs to decide in what format Frank Castle's story will continue: as a movie or a series. That's what insider Daniel Richtman, aka DanielRPK, claims to have learned. However, this has not been confirmed yet and should therefore be taken with a grain of salt.

If Marvel opts for the film version of the alleged sequel, a release on Disney+ seems likely. After all, "One Last Kill" was also streamed there. Given the anti-hero's popularity, however, a theatrical release is also conceivable. In any case, fans would surely be thrilled about Jon Bernthal's return. Following his solo adventure "One Last Kill," he was most recently seen in the extremely successful theatrical blockbuster "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" alongside Tom Holland as Frank Castle, aka The Punisher. That said, the Spidey movie is much more family-friendly. "One Last Kill," on the other hand, is extremely brutal. If Marvel does indeed produce a sequel, it will be interesting to see whether it takes a similarly gritty direction.

The Punisher: Part of the Marvel universe for decades

In the roughly 50-minute "One Last Kill," Frank Castle tries to leave his life as the Punisher behind after avenging his family's death. But the past catches up with him. Now Ma Gnucci has set her sights on him: She is the matriarch of the criminal Gnucci family – and now seeks her own revenge against Castle. Alongside Bernthal, the cast includes Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Jason R. Moore as Curtis Hoyle, and Judith Light as Ma Gnucci. The film was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jon Bernthal. The two serve as executive producers alongside Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, and Sana Amanat.

In the comics, the Punisher has been an integral part of the Marvel Universe for decades. He made his first appearance in 1974, in issue 129 of the superhero series "The Amazing Spider-Man." In the comic, however, the Punisher is the antagonist – tasked with killing Spider-Man. Over the years, the character of the Punisher has become increasingly complex. The same is true of Jon Bernthal's interpretation of the character. He first played the Punisher as a recurring character in the Netflix series "Daredevil". Things got pretty intense even then, and Bernthal's performance was apparently so well-received that a standalone series followed. From 2017 to 2019, Netflix aired the spin-off "The Punisher," which took the brutality up a few notches. Meanwhile, both the Punisher and Daredevil have found a new home on Disney+. After a guest appearance by Castle in "Daredevil: Born Again," "The Punisher: One Last Kill" followed on the streaming service.

Jon Bernthal: Successful beyond the Punisher

Just how much Jon Bernthal cares about the character is evident not least in how involved he was behind the scenes in the making of "The Punisher: One Last Kill." After all, as a co-writer of the screenplay, he played a significant role in shaping the story. But he had already expressed his appreciation for the character before that. About ten years ago, he explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter:

"The Punisher means so much to so many people, and it lives in so many different people's heads, so they care about it so much. That's huge to me, and I understand it. I'm familiar with the comic book audience from my time on 'The Walking Dead': They're very intelligent, loyal and passionate."

In addition to his appearances as the Punisher in "One Last Kill" and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," Bernthal also starred in Christopher Nolan's epic "The Odyssey" in 2026. This meant he appeared in the two most successful films of the year so far. "The Odyssey" ranks second at the global box office with a gross of $1.6 billion to date. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has already grossed $2.4 billion, making it the undisputed box office leader. But he has also repeatedly proven what an outstanding actor he is in other productions. Among them is the crime miniseries "We Own This City," where he shone as the lead actor. Or in the series "The Bear," where, although he appears only sporadically as the protagonist's brother (star chef Carmy, played by Jeremy Allen White), he always leaves a lasting impression.