The Punisher won't return for Daredevil: Born Again season 2 because of his upcoming Disney Plus TV special

Plenty of familiar faces are returning for Daredevil: Born Again season 2, but one definitely isn't: Jon Bernthal's Punisher.

According to a new interview with executive producer Sana Amanat in Empire magazine, vigilante Frank Castle, AKA the Punisher, won't be back for season 2, despite making his MCU debut in season 1.

This isn't the last of Frank Castle that we'll see in the MCU, though – The Punisher special is on the way instead. The one-off TV movie will be released sometime in 2026 as the third Marvel Studios Special Presentation (Werewolf By Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special were both released back in 2022), standalone episodes that are around an hour long.

Alongside Bernthal, Jason R. Moore will return as Frank's friend Curtis Hoyle and King Richard helmer Reinaldo Marcus Green is directing the special. Not much else is known about the project yet, but set photos have hinted at the involvement of comic book crime boss Ma Gnucci.

As for the Man Without Fear, we're still a few months out from the season 2 premiere but writing has just begun on Daredevil: Born Again season 3. Amanat told the publication that this installment is an attempt "to make it more stripped-down, back-to-basics Daredevil. The ideas we have are places we haven't gone before, and that's really thrilling," she said.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is set to premiere on Disney Plus on March 4, 2026. In the meantime, get up to speed on the rest of Marvel Phase 6 with our guide to all the other upcoming Marvel movies and shows.