Punisher: One Last Kill First Reactions Are In For Jon Bernthal’s Marvel Special

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Fans of Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher, will be glad to hear he’s returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2026. Marvel Studios has confirmed plans to bring the character back after a period of absence.

Marvel Studios’ newest special presentation, and the next release for the MCU on Disney+, is The Punisher: One Last Kill. Early reactions are now appearing on social media after members of the press had a chance to view the R-rated spin-off starring Jon Bernthal.

As a huge Marvel fan, I was really intrigued by what ScreenRant’s Rob Keyes had to say about The Punisher: One Last Kill. He hinted it’s the most mature and gritty thing Marvel Studios has done so far. Apparently, it really dives into Frank Castle’s darkest moments, and Jon Bernthal delivers an incredibly powerful performance – with some scenes that are genuinely unsettling. It sounds intense!

Maggie Lovitt of Collider highlighted the special as a thoughtful and deep dive into Frank’s current state of mind. While it revisits some familiar story points from the Netflix series, she believes Jon and Reinaldo Marcus Green have created something truly remarkable.

Joseph Deckelmeier of MovieWeb described One Last Kill as an immersive experience, stating it feels like being inside Frank Castle’s mind, surrounded by his war, trauma, rage, and the constant violence he faces.

As a big fan of Jon Bernthal’s portrayal of the Punisher, I was thrilled to read Rachel Leishman’s take on his return in the MCU. She really nailed it – it’s brutal, definitely not for the faint of heart, but also surprisingly insightful. It’s not just action; it really digs into Frank Castle’s ongoing pain and sets up some intriguing possibilities for his character’s future. Honestly, it’s a fantastic setup and I’m really excited to see where they take it.

Josh Wilding from Comic Book Movie described the recent MCU special as a raw and intense look at grief and PTSD, and praised it as a brilliantly violent and accurate portrayal of the Punisher.

According to Richard Nebens of The Direct, the story is gripping and full of action from beginning to end. It continues the narrative of Frank, picking up after the events of ‘Born Again,’ and presents him with a dangerous new task.

As a big fan of Jon Bernthal’s portrayal of the Punisher, I completely agree with what Tom Bacon at ComicBook said – this new project is exactly what the character needed. It’s a really raw, intense look into Castle’s mind, and honestly, the title is brilliant because it hides a clever surprise. It really gets under your skin!

I totally agree with ScreenRant’s Andy Behbakht – this Disney+ special really proves Jon Bernthal was born to play this character in the MCU. It’s just incredible to see him in the role!

Jon Bernthal, known for his role as the Punisher from the Marvel-Netflix series, was involved in creating the new Disney+ special, The Punisher: One Last Kill, not only as an actor but also as a writer and executive producer. He co-wrote the screenplay with Reinaldo Marcus Green, who also directed it.

Fans won’t have to wait long to see Jon Bernthal return as the Punisher in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’ll be reprising the role this summer in the new Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which comes out on July 31st.

This new movie will be the first time Jon Bernthal has played the Punisher in a theatrical film, having previously appeared in the character’s television shows. The Punisher hasn’t been in a movie since Ray Stevenson played him in 2008’s Punisher: War Zone.

It’s currently unknown what future Marvel projects Jon Bernthal will appear in, as Marvel Studios hasn’t revealed any further plans for him after 2026. However, he could potentially make a surprise appearance in season 3 of Daredevil: Born Again, which is being filmed now and expected to release in 2027.

The Punisher: One Last Kill is set to premiere on May 12 at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT on Disney+.

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2026-05-12 03:39