Jon Bernthal teases darker, super brutal Punisher in new special

The Punisher, the gruesome anti-hero of Marvel, is set to return to the silver screen with a special in May.

As Frank Castle is infamous for his all-guns blazing outlook. Jon Bernthal, who played him, says his forthcoming appearance will be darker and more brutal.

Notably, the upcoming special has strong roots in comics, partly adapting from the savage action of The Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank, but the makers dialed up the intensity in the show.

Released in 2001, the comic book Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon shows the no-holds-barred face of the vigilante, bereft of any hero gloss.

Bertnthal, who, besides starring, serves as co-writer in The Last Kill, tells GamesRadar+ that the Welcome Back comic shows Frank Castle's "exploration and journey of honesty".

The audience, he adds, has to grasp The Punisher, who is hell-bent on his mission, which fully draws out the rage inside of him.

"Welcome Back", Frank doesn’t ask you to love Frank — it asks you to look at him clearly, without flinching. It asks you to see Frank in all his gruesome glory and then find that same primal motivation within yourself so you can go on that journey with him."

With anticipation high, The Punisher: One Last Kill will drop on Disney+ on May 12.