Ask anyone about Marvel’s The Punisher and, far more often than not, an image of only one person will pop up in their head: Jon Bernthal. That’s rightfully so, considering Bernthal has flat-out owned the role ever since his first portrayal of Frank Castle for Netflix’s original Daredevil series, in Season 2, before going on to dominate it in two seasons of The Punisher for the streaming giant — reprising the role for Season 1 of Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again.
Of course, Bernthal isn’t the original Castle, a fact some may have either forgotten or, for the younger generation, simply never knew. The most notable predecessor, as far as live action superhero projects go, belongs to Thomas Jane. It was Jane taking on The Punisher moniker in the 2004 film that then spawned a video game in 2005, and his recent confession about the role will surprise some.
As a matter of fact, it’ll surprise everyone.
The Wrong Punisher for the Job
Courtesy of MovieStillsDB
As it turns out, Jane regrets ever signing on to be Castle in the early 2000s, a time before superhero movies were anywhere near the level of cache and success they boast nowadays. That’s not the reason though, per Jane in a recent interview with ComicBookMovie.com while during a promotional Q&A for his new Apple TV+ film Frontier Crucible.
“I was miscast as Frank Castle. He’s an Italian. He’s got black hair and a whole different sort of lineage. He was born in the 70s, as the antithesis of the Italian mob. They had taken over the world briefly, and The Godfather came out of it, too. Frank was the answer to that. Francis Castiglione. I’m not that guy. I had to dye my hair black and become a different guy.”
The good news is, unlike some who weren’t brought into the superhero film genre due to their attitude, Jane readily confesses it’s not the genre itself that threw him off. As a matter of fact, he’s as much of a fan of comic books and their spin-offs as anyone, and 2004’s The Punisher has created opportunities that might not have existed otherwise.
“I was very passionate about it. I did a short film called Dirty Laundry that I produced and put together. I had a blast, and I’m so grateful to have been inducted into the world. I’m a big comic book fan.”
Bernthal, King of the Castle
Jon Bernthal as The Punisher in The Punisher.Image via Marvel Studios
Jane is grateful for the opportunity, there can be no doubt about it, and he continues to voice The Punisher every once in a while — most recently in a 2019 episode of Robot Chicken for Adult Swim. And he’s also far from upset when seeing how much a fan-favorite Bernthal’s version of Castle has become, which is to say the latter is now looked up on as the Frank Castle, his visceral, brutal, authentic delivery of the trauma experienced by the character being second-to-none.
“I’m happy the part is played by someone who is more right for that role. I had fun, and I did the best I could with it. I’m very grateful for it, but I’m not that guy.”
The reappearance of Bernthal in the role for Daredevil: Born Again was a master stroke alongside Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock, the duo’s onscreen chemistry being off the charts as he continuously godes Daredevil into unleashing the dark side of his soul to avenge the death of his best friend Foggy. It’s a shame Marvel fans won’t see Bernthal’s return for Season 2 of that series on Disney+, something everyone, including Jane, would’ve loved to see but, for some reason, it feels like we’re all being punished.
Release Date
April 16, 2004
Runtime
124 Minutes
Director
Jonathan Hensleigh
Writers
Michael France, Jonathan Hensleigh