John Bernthal cast as The Punisher in Daredevil season 2

Mob rules

Another day, another round of Daredevil series 2 casting stories. This newsy nugget is a little more substantial than the usual round of rumours and speculation, however, as it confirms that a long-awaited character will finally make his debut in the post-Avengers version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That character being The Punisher, a vengeful vigilante who dresses like a teenage Marilyn Manson fan and dispenses justice from the barrel of a gun. The man who will be donning the iconic skull-faced tee will be none other than John Bernthal, who most audiences will know from his captivating turns in The Walking Dead and Wolf on Wall Street.

Bernthal's a great fit for the role; not only is he a dead ringer for the comic book character, but his previous roles show that he can nail that hardboiled intensity a character like The Punisher needs. In the comics, Daredevil and The Punisher frequently butt heads and have quite a chequered history. Their goals may be the same, but their methods couldn't be more different. While DD isn't afraid to draw a little blood to get what he wants, he always stops just short of actually, y'know, wasting people. The Punisher, on the other hand, has no such compunctions, believing the only way to stop crime is with bullets. Lots and lots of bullets.

I imagine their relationship in the TV show will be grudgingly antagonistic, with Frank Castle representing the more extreme side of the vigilante coin, a vision of what Matt Murdock could become if he goes too far in his pursuit of justice. No word yet on how big Bernthal's role will be, but I, for one, expect him to play a big role in the continuing adventures of everyone's favourite blind, crime fighting attorney. After all, with Wilson Fisk on the sidelines we're going to need another violent sadist with dreams of making Hell's Kitchen a better place to root for, and The Punisher fits that bill to a tee.

Speaking about the casting, Marvel's head of television Jeph Loeb said: “Jon Bernthal brings an unmatched intensity to every role he takes on, with a potent blend of power, motivation and vulnerability that will connect with audiences. Castle’s appearance will bring dramatic changes to the world of Matt Murdock and nothing will be the same.”

For more characters I'd like to see pull on their tights and jump into the Daredevil TV series, including The Punisher, be sure to check out my Daredevil: Most Wanted article from April.