Great news for those who signed the petition demanding The Punisher standalone series, and those who didn't sign but wholeheartedly wanted it to happen! Netflix has ordered a full first season of the antihero's own series and the confirmation comes right from Marvel! The series, titled Marvel's The Punisher, is the sixth Marvel Cinematic Universe show ordered by the online streaming network.
When Jon Bernthal was signed to portray Frank Castle in Marvel's Daredevil Season 2, many were concerned. This isn’t surprising, because none of the character's previous live-action incarnations lived up to the mark. Someone at a comic book store even said "DO NOT MESS THIS UP" to the actor!
But all doubts and concerns were washed away as soon as the series launched. And many (including me) feel that The Punisher is the best thing about Daredevil Season 2. Since then, we've been wishing for Frank Castle's standalone series, and now we finally have our wishes fulfilled.
Hannibal EP is the showrunner of Marvel's The Punisher!
Marvel has also confirmed that Steve Lightfoot, one of the executive producers of NBC thriller Hannibal, will serve as executive producer and showrunner of The Punisher series. He's also penned the show's first two episodes. Marvel Television boss Jeph Loeb is the other executive producer for the show. Here's how Loeb expresses his gratitude towards fans and his excitement about the show:
We want to thank the fans who are clamoring for more of Jon's stunning and powerful performances as Frank Castle from Marvel's Daredevil. Now, combined with showrunner Steve Lightfoot's compelling writing, we're thrilled to bring Marvel's The Punisher to Netflix.
In his official statement, Steve Lightfoot claims that The Punisher is "an incredibly compelling character" because of his "complexity and unpredictability". He praises Jon Bernthal's performance in Daredevil Season 2, and expresses his excitement about working with him in a show of his own.
When will the series arrive? Well, Marvel hasn't revealed the answer to that question yet. But Marvel's Luke Cage, Marvel's Iron Fist, and Marvel's The Defenders are yet to be released. So, it seems highly unlikely that we will see The Punisher series any sooner than the second half of 2017. And that's a very optimistic estimate. We might even have to wait until 2018!
And here’s the first official teaser for the series!
https://youtu.be/olWjyYekBsY
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