Why Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Joining Spider-Man: Brand New Day Is A Bad Move For The Character

Jon Bernthal’s Punisher is joining the Spider-Man: Brand New Day cast, but the exciting news may also be a bad move for the character. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to continue the story of Tom Holland’s webslinger as first seen in Captain America: Civil War before getting his own trilogy of movies. The story’s details are still under wraps despite the title pointing toward a controversial Spider-Man comic book arc. Still, Spider-Man: Brand New Day looks in good shape, with Destin Daniel Cretton, director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, at the helm, with Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, the writers of Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy, penning the script.

Tom Holland is returning to the lead role, with Zendaya and Jacob Batalon also said to be reprising their roles. Sadie Sink has also been cast, with her role remaining a mystery, though speculation has her cast as several characters, with the truth still waiting to be revealed. The Hulk is also said to be in the new superhero film. However, the newest actor to join the cast is Jon Bernthal, who will bring his portrayal of the Punisher from his TV series origins to movie theaters. While this casting has sent waves of excitement through fans who want to see the character join Spider-Man, it could also pose a considerable problem for the Punisher.

Jon Bernthal’s Take On The Punisher Is Very R-Rated

Bernthal’s Punisher first debuted in the second season of Netflix’s Daredevil series, serving as an antagonistic figure to Matt Murdock. The series allowed the Punisher to embrace his violent nature, pushing the show’s rating to its limit and showing audiences the complicated nature of the infamous anti-hero. He then received his own Netflix series with The Punisher, which lasted for two seasons before all of Marvel’s live-action shows on the streaming service were axed in favor of the MCU’s new plans, which included Disney+ as their streaming home.

Bernthal recently returned to the character, with the Punisher featured prominently in Daredevil: Born Again, a revival series continuing the character’s exploits from the Netflix series. His appearance in the new Daredevil series also presented audiences with one of the most violent and unapologetic takes on the anti-hero. What was once something fans could only see in the pages of a comic book was coming to life with blood-soaked rampages fueled by the characters’ anger and bleak tone, which audiences wholeheartedly embraced.

The character is also getting his own Disney+ Special Presentation, which will tell a Punisher-centric story meant to debut with the next season of Daredevil: Born Again in 2026. However, it now seems that Bernthal’s Punisher will play a role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which will be an interesting avenue to explore with the hyper-violent anti-hero.

Spider-Man Is About The Most Family-Friendly Superhero Outside Of Superman

Spider-Man has always presented itself as a more family-friendly franchise. It does explore dark subject matter, as Peter often deals with deeply affecting personal loss, but keeps things to a genuinely more positive tone. Beyond the various film franchises surrounding the character, Spider-Man has often thrived in children’s animation, making him a popular character that often garners young fans who maintain a love of the character throughout the years.

When it comes to Spider-Man movies, they fall well into the PG-13 rating, which is common for most superhero films dealing with the action and emotional stakes accompanying the characters. Even when tackling horrifying deaths, like Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, or the death of Aunt May, which was seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the tone of the films remains tonally consistent with the audience it was meant for.

The Punisher is quite the opposite, as each film the character has led has garnered an R-rating, with his TV outings also coming with similar mature TV-MA ratings. While Spider-Man and the Punisher have appeared together before in comics, animated shows, and even video games, the MCU has set up distinct versions of the characters, which may pose a problem for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Bernthal’s Punisher Portrayal Will Be Severely Hindered By Spider-Man: Brand New Day

While PG-13 movies have continued to push the envelope of what’s possible regarding overall content, there is no way to put Bernthal’s violent take on the Punisher directly into Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Even if he serves an antagonistic role, much like in his initial Daredevil appearance, the Punisher set up by the MCU is extremely violent and dark. Numerous sequences show him in blood-fueled rampages, with many of the villains he’s dealt with dabbling in unsavory exploits that may not be for the faint of heart, and surely not a PG-13 movie.

Even beyond the violence, Bernthal’s Frank Castle is an emotionally dark figure, which could potentially muddy the waters of a Spider-Man film. However, Brand New Day could also present the type of story that ventures into the dark corners where Castle could thrive. Still, the Punisher’s presence in a PG-13 film means that the creative team will have to neuter the character to a degree. While this could be the perfect storyline to tame the character a bit, quelling his rage, that may also feel like a retcon for what Daredevil: Born Again set up for fans of the character.

While the news of Bernthal’s involvement is still fresh, and story details are under wraps, the Punisher joining Spider-Man: Brand New Day could pose an issue for fans who don’t want to see a watered-down version of the anti-hero popping up in a PG-13 movie, especially after thriving so well with mature audiences. Despite R-rated successes like Deadpool & Wolverine, Spider-Man: Brand New Day would never embrace an R-rating for one character. Even with the Punisher likely being hindered by Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s rating, it is also the character’s first film appearance in the MCU, which is an exciting moment for long-time fans of the series.