First Look at Jon Bernthal Filming ‘Punisher’ Special Presentation Has Been Revealed
Fans got a fresh look at Jon Bernthal back as Frank Castle, aka the Punisher, on the set of an upcoming Marvel Special Presentation in New York City.
The first look comes from JustJared, who shared the first set photo showing details that might place the story in the MCU Timeline.
— Cosmic Media (@CosmicMMedia) July 17, 2025
This new Punisher project was announced in February 2025 and will be a shorter standalone story for Disney+. It’s directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who’s also co-writing the script with Bernthal himself.
The two worked together before on the miniseries We Own This City in 2022. Filming started in mid-July 2025 in NYC, and the Special Presentation is expected to come out sometime in 2026.
The set photo revealed a concert poster dated July 18, 2027, hinting that the story is set in the future compared to previous MCU events.
This means the Punisher’s tale will take place after the events of Daredevil: Born Again season 1, which is set in 2026. According to the source, this lines up with Marvel slowly syncing its timeline with real-world years. The big Avengers: Secret Wars, set for 2027, might mark the MCU catching up to actual time.
Though the plot is still under wraps, insiders suggest the story picks up after Frank Castle escapes a private prison controlled by Kingpin, aka Wilson Fisk. This sets the stage for a fresh, intense adventure for the Punisher, possibly showing him back on the streets chasing new enemies.
Speaking of enemies, insiders revealed back in May that a female mob boss is being cast as the villain. Nexus Point News later confirmed that casting is still ongoing for this character, believed to be Ma Gnucci, a fierce crime leader from the comics. If true, this will be her MCU debut.
This Special Presentation joins Marvel’s new trend of shorter, standalone stories that still connect to the larger MCU world. So far, only Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special have been released in this format.
For Jon Bernthal, this is his fourth time playing the Punisher. He first appeared in Netflix’s Daredevil, then starred in two seasons of The Punisher. He returned in Daredevil: Born Again and is also set to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, hitting theaters July 31, 2026. That film will be his first time playing the Punisher on the big screen.
While Marvel hasn’t officially revealed much about the special’s story or cast, the excitement is building. With Bernthal and Marcus Green back on board, fans can expect a dark, gritty chapter for Frank Castle in Phase Six of the MCU.
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