Since the 2015 Netflix series, Charlie Cox's Daredevil and Jon Bernthal's Punisher have become inextricably linked. However, Bernthal recently revealed why he initially hesitated to reprise his role as Frank Castle in the Disney+ revival, Daredevil: Born Again.
The actor, known for his role in The Wolf of Wall Street, explained that the initial creative direction for the Punisher didn't resonate with him. He told Entertainment Weekly, "Ultimately, I didn't see it. I didn't see the version of Frank, and what they wanted from Frank didn't really make sense to me. I thought it would not appeal to the fans and wouldn't be congruent. It was not something I was really interested in doing. So we had to walk away."
Following significant creative changes to the series after the writers' and actors' strikes, producer Dario Scardapane was appointed showrunner. This shift proved pivotal for Bernthal's involvement.He explained that Scardapane, with whom he collaborated on the original Punisher series and other Marvel projects, brought him into the creative process. "They really brought me into the conversation," Bernthal said. "We really got specific about where Frank is psychologically, where Frank's at physically."
Warning! Spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again follow.
