Netflix is set to release The Punisher sometime this year, but the series won’t be the first outing for Frank Castle. The bloody vigilante has be the focus of other projects like The Punisher films. Gale Anne Hurd is the producer who helped bring Frank to life in those previous film, and the creator says she’s excited to see what Jon Bernthal brings to the character.
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During a recent interview with CinemaBlend, Hurd was asked how she felt about The Punisher and the character’s evolution. It was there the producer said she was hyped to see Bernthal’s work as a fan herself.
“Obviously, yes, and I don’t think they could have found a better Frank Castle than Jon Bernthal,” Hurd revealed.
“I am as eager to see that show as anyone, as a fan of his, and obviously as a fan of the character.”
Fans won’t be too surprised to hear about Hurd’s love of the Punisher. After all, the producer did sign up for two feature films based on the Marvel character. She helped producer The Punisher back in 2004 with former Marvel Studios CEO Avi Ard. Hurd returned four years later with Punisher: War Zone in 2008, so the producer is very familiar with the dark character.
Netflix’s take on Frank will be a new one for the character, so fans should prepare themselves for the show’s nitty-gritty content. In an interview with SFX Magazine, writer Steve Lightfoot admitted The Punisher will show a rather despicable side of its lead, but there will still be parts of Frank which fans can relate to.
“In this show we’ve had to give him dilemmas of his own. With any show, even if it’s about superheroes or whatever, you have to find things that normal people will identify with, that are everyman qualities. I’ve never been a Special Forces guy who kills 50 people, but I do know what it’s like to grieve,” the writer explained.
“At heart, you’ve got a very tough guy who isn’t necessarily great at showing is feelings, having at some point to deal with the loss of his family,” Lightfoot continued. “And that’s something everyone can identify with. We can empathize with that, if not the actions it leads to.”
The Punisher will premiere on Netflix sometime this year.
