Even though Daredevil's second season is some two months away, Netflix and Marvel are already ushering a spin-off into development based on one of its new characters - The Punisher. The former military man - aka Frank Castle - played by Jon Bernthal will make his debut when the season arrives in March, the latest adversary for Matt Murdock to face off with down those back alleys of Hell's Kitchen.
Apparently Bernthal's performance has impressed the powers-that-be, hence their eagerness to pursue a solo series for the vigilante. If it makes it through development, it will be the sixth Marvel show for Netflix following Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and the team-up finale The Defenders.
Bernthal, in an interview with EW, hints at the future of the character who will evolve throughout the season thanks to the "slow burn" story arc created by showrunners Doug Petrie and Marco Ramirez. "He’s a guy who brought the war home with him [in] the worst possible way. There are a lot of iterations of this character and in all of them it’s a man who’s gone through this unbelievable trauma and what’s interesting about our take on him is how this trauma reshapes his own philosophy."
Much like his comic book self, Castle experiences trauma when he loses his family, prompting him to take justice into his own gun-totin' hands. "With Frank, what was important was the emptiness inside him. He’s dealing with this unbelievable loss. There’s unbelievable anger and hatred and shame. "
"The effect the other characters have on him will push him certain directions," he adds. "I think once you see these characters collide, it’s tremendously interesting and emotionally gripping as well. It’s going to be a special season. If you thought last season of Daredevil was dark, we’re going to a whole new place."
The thought of Daredevil getting even darker than its last season is equally as exciting as The Punisher's own series. And, while that news has yet to be confirmed by Netflix, it's likely just a matter of time before an official announcement is made.
Starring Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Elodie Yung, Stephen Rider, Jon Bernthal and Rosario Dawson, Daredevil season two arrives in its entirety on Netflix March 18.
Images: AMC, Marvel
