The Punisher Heading For TV

Get ready for an influx of skull T-shirts

Criminal Minds showrunner Ed Bernero is developing a TV version of the Marvel Comic character The Punisher for Fox TV, reports Deadline .

The Punisher will be an hour-long drama providing a new take on the revenge-driven Frank Castle, a New York detective who moonlights as a vigilante with a skull on his chest. In the original comics (and the three Punisher movies so far) it has always been the massacre of his family by criminals that has set Castle on his path, but the Deadline article just says that he’s, “seeking justice for those the system has failed”.

Bernero will executive produce along with Marvel, and it will be made by ABC Studios.

Marvel is also developing two other TV series with ABC Studios – Hulk with Guillermo del Toro and David Eick in charge and AKA Jessica Jones with Melissa Rosenberg – but those projects have been taking longer to develop.

The Punisher first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #129 in 1974, and was created by writer Gerry Conway and artist John Romita.

Dave Golder
Freelance Writer

Dave is a TV and film journalist who specializes in the science fiction and fantasy genres. He's written books about film posters and post-apocalypses, alongside writing for SFX Magazine for many years.