The shadows of Hell’s Kitchen continues to expand as leaked footage of Jon Berthal (The Walking Dead, Daredevil: Born Again) in his iconic Punisher skull shirt and tactical gear has surfaced, marking as a revival for the character. According to Comicbook, Berthal is currently working and preparing on new special presentation,which he will work on alongside director, Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard, Joe Bell). The last time we had last seen the Punisher.

According to Comicbook, this special presentation while being a stand alone narrative will act as a bridge between Frank Castle at the end of Daredevil: Born Again to his appearance in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The plot of the series hasn’t been revealed, but some have speculated that it will have Frank battling against the Gnucci crime family, more importantly with Isabella “Ma” Gnucci.

Berthal gives statement in an interview with Comicbook about how the special will bring out his character’s dark side,”It’s going to be dark; Frank has no interest in breaking out the darkness. It’s not going to be easy. It will not be Punisher-lite, I promise you that.”

According to Comicbook, the actor’s statement could suggest that the Punisher might take on an antagonist role at the end of the series and transfer to the film, similar to what occurred in the comics. In that storyline, he is hired to assassinate Spider-Man, who is portrayed by Tom Holland (Uncharted, The Oydessey).

The excitement surrounding his return to the MCU has been steadily increasing, and these initial glimpses of his updated costume have sparked a wave of speculation. Only time will reveal how the special will transform Frank Castle and the direction he will choose to follow after it. Although there is no confirmed release date yet, The Punisher Special Presentation is expected to debut on Disney+ sometime in 2026, with the film concluding by July 31, 2026.