Punisher: War Zone (2008)

Of all the Marvel heroes that have graced the big screen, the most surprising failure is the Punisher. Frank Castle’s intense brand of justice had been adapted twice before in adventures starring Dolph Lundgren and Thomas Jane. While Jane’s 2004 film has its share of fans, it barely broke even at the box office, and the studio opted to reboot with Ray Stevenson in the title role. As it turns out, Stevenson hews closer to the comic book incarnation of the Punisher, but the film around him is so dour, mean-spirited and poorly conceived that it managed to turn off audiences, bringing in only $10 million worldwide despite director Lexi Alexander’s capable direction. Now the Punisher is finally set for yet another rebirth in the shape of The Walking Dead actor Jon Bernthal, who joins season 2 of Marvel’s Daredevil series next year on Netflix.