Marvel fans are eagerly awaiting Jon Bernthal’s MCU debut as Frank Castle inDaredevil: Born Again, but in the meantime, the cult classic 2004 adaptation ofThe Punisherhas fought into Tubi’s Top 10 most-watched list.Thomas Janewas the second person to portray the character on screen,following in the footsteps of Dolph Lundgrenand acting as a precursor to Bernthal’s debut in the NetflixDefenders Sagaseries. Despite being roundly panned by critics, there is still a large following for the movie out there, as has been proven by its reappearance on streaming.
The Punisher’s new success on free streaming is certainly a good sign for the MCU’s reintroduction of Frank Castle inDaredevil: Born Againlater this year. While the actors changed, and Bernthal gained a lot of praise in the role, there could be a chance that talk of his upcoming return has sparked curiosity in those who have not seen Jane’s iteration of Castle.
The Punisherburst onto screens under the direction of Jonathan Hensleigh, with the story following the vigilante former FBI agent as he attempts to extract justice and vengeance for his murdered family, and against the people who have done him wrong. The dark, “street-level” movie was unlike many other superhero movies of the time, but after 20 years, this grim, gritty kind of comic book fare has not only gained a following, but found an even darker level in movies likeThe Batman. The synopsis of the movie reads:
“FBI agent Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) transforms into the vengeful Punisher after criminals murder his family, including his wife and son. Castle is gravely injured in the attack and believed to be dead by Howard Saint (John Travolta), the crime lord who ordered the hit. Following his recovery, Castle becomes a heavily armed vigilante who will stop at nothing to exact revenge on Saint and dismantle his underworld empire.”
Was ‘The Punisher’ Misunderstood?
The Punishercertainly did not fill critics with love for Frank Castle when it released in 2004. The grounded comic book movie at a time when fans were used to thebright spectacle of Sam Raimi’sSpider-Manmoviesfollowed in the footsteps of Lundgren’s movie over a decade earlier, which also gained mostly negative reviews. Even though Jane did gain some praise in the role, the film’s 20% Tomatometer rating saw many calling it “overly violent” and a “by-the-numbers revenge flick.”
Inevitably, Berthal’s performance as Castle has frequently been compared with Jane’s, just as Jane’s was stacked against Lundgren’s now almost forgotten turn as the R-rated anti-hero. For audiences, the 63% Popcornmeter score may have been lower than the Netflix series’ 79%, but there has always been an appreciation for the action movie that has only grown over the years.
One question that has come up recently is whether the MCU multiverse could possibly allow Jane to reprise his role as a variant of Frank Castle. While this could be theoretically possible, Jane addressed that very question in an interview prior to the release ofDeadpool & Wolverine. When asked about possibly reprising his role, he said:
“Nope. I like [Jon] Bernthal‘s Punisher. I think, you know, for me, it was always a little bit of a stretch. Frank Castle is supposed to be an Italian American. I’m not. I’m an Irish American. So for me, I had to dye the hair and sort of take on a persona, but Bernthal wears it so well, so I think they should stick with him.”
Daredevil and The Punisher’s MCU Continuation Applauded by Netflix Marvel Director
Netflix Daredevil and Punisher director Marc Jobst rejoices for the revival of both series.
Fans may not see Jane’s iteration of Frank Castle appearing in a new movie, butThe Punisher’s appearance on the Tubi streaming chart has shown that even 20 years down the line, both longtime Marvel fans and newcomers alike are always willing to drop in on older iterations of many comic book characters, no matter what opinions critics had of them at the time.
