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Jon Bernthal Reveals Why He Walked Away from Daredevil: Born Again Initially as The Punisher; 'Wasn't Interested...'
Jon Bernthal explains why he initially turned down Daredevil: Born Again and how Marvel’s creative overhaul brought him back to the role of Frank Castle.
Jon Bernthal is making his long-awaited return as Frank Castle in Daredevil: Born Again, but it almost didn’t happen. The actor, who last played the Punisher in Netflix’s The Punisher before its cancellation in 2019, initially declined to reprise the role due to creative differences. However, after a significant shift in the show's direction, Bernthal felt the character was finally being done justice and decided to step back into Castle’s boots.
Bernthal’s return to the Marvel universe happens in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Episode 4, in which Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) tracks down the Punisher while investigating the murder of Hector Ayala. Their reunion is anything but friendly—Frank nearly takes off Matt’s head with an axe before they get down to business.
Though Bernthal’s screen time is limited in this episode, he considers it a “toe dip” back into the character, testing whether the reintroduction would work. He was eager to see if there was an openness to let Frank be as dark and psychologically complex as he should be, avoiding humor or cuteness.
The test run seemed to work. Marvel not only confirmed Bernthal’s return for Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 but also greenlit a standalone Punisher TV special. Bernthal admitted that despite his brief appearance in Episode 4, it opened the door to portraying the Frank Castle he had always wanted to play.
Bernthal initially had doubts about Daredevil: Born Again due to its original direction. The first version of the series, before its major overhaul, was structured more like a procedural drama and was less connected to the Netflix-era mythology.
He recalled being approached for that iteration and feeling it did not align with his vision of Frank Castle. He ultimately decided to walk away from the project. “Ultimately, I didn’t see it,” Bernthal admitted. “What they wanted from Frank [didn’t] really make sense to me and I thought would not appeal to the fans.”
After Marvel restructured the show, hiring new lead writers and bringing in The Punisher executive producer Dario Scardapane as showrunner, Bernthal was more open to returning. He appreciated how the studio engaged him in discussions about the character’s development, allowing them to get specific about Frank’s psychological and physical state.
Bernthal credited several key figures in shaping his performance, including Scardapane, second-unit director Phil Silvera, who had previously helped define Frank’s physicality, and his stunt double Eric Linden. He also worked with Marine Raider Nick Koumalatsos, whom he described as instrumental both in training and in understanding the psychological aspects of Frank Castle.
In Daredevil: Born Again, Castle plays the devil on Murdock’s shoulder, tempting him toward his darker instincts. Though Murdock is trying to keep his inner demons at bay, Frank relentlessly pushes him, believing Matt’s moral dilemmas are unnecessary and counter to the truth.
Bernthal is now fully committed to expanding his version of the Punisher. He is working with director Reinaldo Marcus Green on the Punisher TV special and has even contributed to the writing process. He described the special as a psychologically complex, brutal, and unforgiving portrayal of Frank Castle, in which violence carries real consequences. While he couldn’t reveal much about his future as the Punisher, he expressed gratitude that Marvel was giving him creative agency to shape the character in an honest and authentic way.
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