“The Frank Castle I really want to play”. While Daredevil: Born Again continues its broadcast on Disney+ and the names of Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk are on everyone's lips, one character steals the show this week. It must be said that his arrival was eagerly awaited by fans of Netflix series, particularly Steve Lightfoot's, which ran between 2017 and 2019. Six years after the abrupt end of The Punisher, like the other Defenders series, Frank Castle is officially back in action. His return had been widely promoted via the trailers for Born Again. The approach of creator Dario Scadarpane, who wrote The Punisher, radically contrasts with audience expectations and heralds a new era for the character played by Jon Bernthal. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the actor opens up about his hero's journey as well as what the future holds for him. We already know that this brief appearance will not be an isolated event, Marvel has given the green light for the development of special content with Bernthal writing and in front of the camera. While we could expect a full-fledged series, it is ultimately a format close to that of Werewolf by Night that is on the agenda for the coming years. The actor and screenwriter returned to this ambition as well as to what the future holds for Punisher.
In episode 4 of Born Again, Frank Castle appears more radical than ever. While Matt and Frank have always had differences, one still has faith in justice while the other doesn't believe in redemption, their relationship seems to have reached a point of no return. Frank's personality has changed a lot, and this doesn't displease his interpreter. He even explains that he's getting closer and closer to the Frank Castle he "really wants to embody." He explains that his appearance is a risk for the creative teams.
Concretely, if Frank Castle's personality has always flirted with that of the antagonist, Jon Bernthal advocates for a more frank approach. The character is moving irremediably towards the figure of the implacable avenger, who has little regard for the law and the right of criminals to justice. At the same time, Frank could contribute to Matt Murdock's shift towards abandoning his morals and ethics in favor of a fatalistic vision of the world. Foggy's death has largely contributed to the emergence of a new moral dilemma for someone who must constantly struggle with his inherent violence, his faith, and his desire for justice.
“I think Frank sees himself in Matt, and Matt knows he sees himself in Frank, and there's a certain jubilation in that. But also, Frank really doesn't have time for gray areas. He doesn't have time to figure things out or obsess over them. Frank is convinced that Matt's back-and-forths and detours are contrary to his truth, and he knows it. For Frank, nothing beats wisdom and torturing Matt about it, because he knows he's right.
The special production dedicated to The Punisher promises great spectacle and a darker tone than ever for the stable, which is slowly beginning to shed its image as a license for all audiences. It was about time.
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