Jon Bernthal is officially joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s big-screen roster! The actor will be returning as The Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the upcoming instalment in the Tom Holland-led franchise.
Frank Castle Enters the Spider-Verse
Bernthal’s Frank Castle has long stood apart from Marvel’s more polished heroes, and his casting suggests a potentially grittier tone for Holland’s next outing. The new Spider-Man film, directed by Shang-Chi’s Destin Daniel Cretton, is scheduled to shoot in England later this year with a U.S. release planned for July 31, 2026 release. Plot specifics remain under wraps, though we do know that the returning cast includes Zendaya as MJ and Jacob Batalon as Ned, with Stranger Things star Sadie Sink also confirmed for an undisclosed role.
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From Netflix Origins to MCU Expansion
Bernthal first appeared as Castle in Daredevil season 2 before headlining two seasons of The Punisher. He recently returned to the role in Daredevil: Born Again and is set to lead a solo Disney+ special, which he is also co-writing. His insistence on maintaining the character’s violent, grounded tone has been well documented—raising questions about how the no-nonsense vigilante will blend into Spider-Man’s more family-friendly cinematic corner.
A History Between Bernthal and Holland
Bernthal and Holland’s Marvel connection goes back to before either joined the MCU. The two were working together on the 2017 feature Pilgrimage while preparing their respective auditions, even helping each other with self-tapes. Now, years later, they’ll finally share the screen in a major Marvel feature — this time with Bernthal’s street-level antihero stepping into Spider-Man’s world.
