The Punisher Jon Bernthal is revealed to be rocking a beard in the set pictures of the Special

The Punisher has said goodbye to Red for the time being, and it appears he has started filming for his own special in New York. It was announced in February 2025 that Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle was returning for a special. This special is a standalone feature for Disney+, and the latest leaked set pictures reveal that it is already in production.

The leaked set pictures reveal that Frank Castle's The Punisher is rocking a grown-out beard for the special. Frank Castle with a beard is not an uncommon sight, but the last time we saw him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Daredevil: Born Again, he wasn't sporting a beard. This development could have certain implications for the upcoming special presentation.

Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle grows out his beard for The Punisher special presentation

Frank Castle growing out his hair and his beard could mean a possible connection to his story in the special. The last time we saw the Punisher in the MCU, he went out looking for Fisk's Anti-Vigilante Task Force, and even though he put down a lot of AVTF members, he was finally overpowered and caged in a dungeon with other people who were against Fisk.

However, Castle, being who he is, manages to strike up a conversation with the guard who looks up to him, much like the rest of the AVTF. This guard makes the deadly mistake of shaking Castle's hand, who pulls him closer and breaks his arm, leading to Castle's escape from the cage.

Throughout the majority of The Punisher's appearance in Daredevil: Born Again, he was sporting a beard. However, after his blowout with Murdock, Castle decides to ditch his grown-out hair and beard, and the next time we see him, he's protecting Daredevil with a clean shave and a haircut.

It has been a defining trend in Frank's appearance that he seems to grow out his hair and beard when he is on the down low (the start of Daredevil: Born Again) and shaves it all off when he decides to go full Punisher and take extreme action.

Considering this, by the end of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Castle does not have a beard, so the fact that he's spotted growing out his beard and hair might mean that Castle has been staying low for the time being to avoid being noticed or recognized.

Additionally, a leaked set picture also features Castle in a restaurant, which might reveal a possible villain in the special presentation. The restaurant that Castle is spotted in could be Gnucci's Restaurant, meaning Isabella "Ma" Gnucci could be the villain against the Punisher that the special focuses on. Isabella "Ma" Gnucchi is a mob boss in New York who holds Castle responsible for her sons' deaths and declares war on him.

Only time will tell if this is the case for The Punisher special, since we are yet to receive a possible release date.

Trending

Keep reading Soap Central for the latest scoop on your favorite Marvel hero, or should we say, anti-hero.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback