The Punisher TV Special’s set footage gives a glimpse of Jon Bernthal’s action-packed scenes

The Punisher TV Special set footage unveils action-packed scenes with darker elements, with Jon Bernthal reprising his Frank Castle role. The set footage, captured in New York City, captures harsh combat sequences and a reunification with characters from the previous Netflix series, emphasizing that the Special will come with a story that stays faithful to the characters' dark nature.

The Special is meant as a spinoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, separate from the earlier Netflix series but linked by shared faces and elements of the story. Production includes Bernthal and helmer Reinaldo Marcus Green, both of whom are writers on the project to make sure it stays in line with Bernthal's vision of the character.

What fans can anticipate from The Punisher Special is that it will feature Frank Castle confronting fresh challenges, including a prominent villain from the comics, and delve into darker themes while not sacrificing intensity or complexity.

The Punisher TV Special set footage teases the action and dark tone

The newly released set footage of The Punisher Special features Jon Bernthal in action scenes that are quite reminiscent of the gritty and intense visuals the character is famous for. The scene, as reported, has Frank Castle fending off multiple motorcycle-riding attackers in a fight sequence, highlighting the raw and violent tone of the story.

The footage generated hype online as people compared it to John Wick-style moments, such as one featuring a dog that stirred debate over the emotional stakes and dark aspects of the story.

Bernthal has called the Special "not Punisher-lite" and "dark," hinting at an on-screen presentation of Frank Castle that accepts the character's complexity and the fact that all violence has repercussions.

This dedication to a psychologically complex and unflinching tale implies that the Special will deliver the dark storytelling that fans demand, with no watering down of the characters' brutal reality. The show purposely creates a tone that is mature and intense, targeting the TV-MA rating on Disney+ when it comes out in 2026.

Reunion with familiar characters and new villains

Set photography and footage validate the comeback of veteran characters from the previous Netflix shows. Jason R. Moore returns to play Curtis "Curt" Hoyle, an ex-Navy SARC and ally of Frank Castle. During the Special, their reunion suggests a changing dynamic after their past complicated history shown on Netflix.

Hoyle, who runs a therapy group for veterans suffering from PTSD, is seen entangled once more with Frank's brutal war against crime. Apart from old favorites, the standout elements include Ma Gnucci, a comic book villainess notorious for her revenge-seeking quest against Frank Castle.

Gnucci is photographed in a wheelchair facing Frank in a set photo, and that indicates an adaptation of some of her defining comic book storylines involving her crime family. Her presence will mean a serious threat to Frank and contribute to the complexity of the conflict The Punisher Special is delving into.

The plot appears to synthesize some narrative points from the Netflix shows with the Marvel Cinematic Universe ventures, all while being its own self-contained story under the Marvel Studios Special Presentation label.

Production and creative vision

The Punisher Special is a writing collaboration between Jon Bernthal and director/writer Reinaldo Marcus Green. Bernthal, having played Frank Castle since the Netflix series, co-wrote the special to make it live up to the character's standards and fans' expectations.

The Punisher Special was developed while filming Daredevil: Born Again, proving that its narrative is strongly integrated into the present MCU timeline. Production started in mid-July 2025 in New York City, with filming done in Queens and Brooklyn, incorporating a real urban setting pertaining to Frank Castle's narrative.

Practical locations like recreations of subway stations and particular neighborhood elements were selected by the production to keep the narrative real, with a gritty essence pertaining to the vigilante.

Bernthal highlighted that this iteration of Frank Castle is "visceral, psychologically complex, and no-holds-barred," highlighting the choice to undertake the character's darkness and violence in a complete fashion. Marvel Studios aims to produce a special presentation honoring this option and integrating it into the larger MCU's expanding narrative paradigm.

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