What’s Next For Frank Castle Following ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’ in the MCU?

Jon Bernthal is officially back as Frank Castle, and Marvel already has another big appearance lined up for the Punisher after The Punisher: One Last Kill. The Disney+ special marks Bernthal’s second appearance in the MCU after Daredevil: Born Again season 1, but it will not be the last time fans see him in action.

The Punisher: One Last Kill arrives as a stand-alone MCU Special Presentation focused completely on Frank Castle. Unlike a full TV season, the project tells one contained story while giving viewers a closer look at Frank’s emotional state after the events of Daredevil: Born Again. The special continues the darker tone that fans already know from Netflix’s The Punisher series, which originally ran from 2017 to 2019.

Frank Castle has always been one of Marvel’s most debated characters because of how violent he is compared to other heroes. While characters like Spider-Man and Daredevil try to avoid killing, Frank openly uses deadly force against criminals. That has made him popular with many fans, while others see him as a character who crosses the line between hero and villain.

Because of that, Marvel gave The Punisher: One Last Kill a mature rating. The project reportedly keeps the brutal style of the Netflix series while also exploring Frank’s mental struggles and grief. According to comments shared by Jon Bernthal, the story was designed to show Frank at his absolute lowest point emotionally.

Even though the title sounds final, One Last Kill is not the end of Frank Castle’s MCU story. Marvel has already confirmed that Bernthal will appear next in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which releases in theaters on July 31. The movie will mark the Punisher’s first appearance in an MCU film and his first live-action movie role in nearly 20 years.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day stars Tom Holland returning as Peter Parker after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. According to the film’s official premise, Peter is now protecting New York anonymously after Doctor Strange’s spell erased the world’s memory of him. The story will reportedly focus on more street-level threats, which may explain why Frank Castle fits into the movie.

Still, many fans are curious about how the Punisher and Spider-Man will work together on screen. Frank Castle’s dark personality is very different from Peter Parker’s lighter and more hopeful attitude. Since the two characters do not have an established MCU relationship yet, their dynamic could become one of the movie’s biggest surprises.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Alongside Holland and Bernthal, the movie also stars Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, Michael Mando, Tramell Tillman, and Mark Ruffalo as Hulk.

After Brand New Day, Marvel has not officially confirmed where Frank Castle will appear next. However, Daredevil: Born Again season 3 is already in development, making that project the most likely place for Bernthal to return again. Since Kingpin remains one of the biggest threats in New York, fans expect Frank to continue operating in the city alongside characters like Daredevil and possibly other Defenders from the Netflix era.

For now, Marvel seems fully committed to using the Punisher more often in the MCU. Between One Last Kill and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, 2026 is already shaping up to be one of the character’s biggest years yet.

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