Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day to be different from Daredevil: Born Again, details explored in-depth

Jon Bernthal returns as Frank Castle, The Punisher, in two very dissimilar Marvel productions that place the character in very dissimilar settings and atmospheres. In the next theatrical adaptation of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Punisher is rated in a more kid-friendly environment of PG-13, which will soften the violence. Viewers have been subjected to him in relation to the R-rated or TV-MA Daredevil: Born Again.

In the Brand New Day version, the character works his own brand of justice through New York's criminal underground, striking up with Tom Holland's Peter Parker for the first time. Meanwhile, Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again shows a more psychologically layered, lonely Frank Castle, who has fully committed to his vigilante persona after a creative reboot during production.

Bernthal does not play Frank Castle in a real and honest manner. This is evident in the two projects, although they differ. One is more violent and serious, and the other is less intense and softer. Additionally, they pay attention to various concepts and tell the story through different styles.

Read more about Punisher's return in Spider-Man.

Can Punisher work in PG-13 Spider-Man?

In contrast to the intense violence of Daredevil, The Punisher, and Born Again, it will be Jon Bernthal's first PG-13 Punisher role in over ten years. This rating makes the filmmakers reduce graphic violence so much that a lot of character development is used instead of bloody battles to show the cruelty of Frank Castle. His psychological depth & moral ambiguity are still strong. However, it is time to reduce the intense visuals from his Netflix days and focus more on exploring his relationships & motivations.

Bernthal shows trust in the film's plot by embracing this limitation, implying that the creative team has created engaging storylines that transcend the violence. His participation reflects a belief in the narrative's strength, promising a fresh yet faithful take on the Punisher within the Spider-Man universe.

Bernathal's creative control & character direction

The Punisher and Spider-Man from Brand New Day | Images via Marvel

One important requirement for Bernthal's attachment to Daredevil: Born Again was substantial creative control over Frank's persona. As a result, Born Again underwent significant production changes that better aligned the actor's vision with Marvel Studios. The actor had initially left Born Again after the original creative team moved away from Netflix's The Defenders timeline and deviated from his understanding of core character identity.

After the 2023 writers' strike and subsequent production changes under the new showrunner Dario Scardapane, Bernthal returned after the creative reboot reassured the actor. In Born Again, Frank first appears fully committed to being a vigilante, living in seclusion amidst arms and files on organized crime, having foregone any notion of redemption or attempt to get back into civilian life.

It directly addresses complaints of the Netflix series spending too much time on Castle's trauma and reformism. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will keep the same continuity for Bernthal, adapting to the different film narrative as Frank crosses paths with Peter Parker in pursuit of various paths of justice.