New Punisher film One Last Kill: Title and release date confirmed
Jon Bernthal is not only involved as the main actor
The Punisher is returning with a new film - and now the title and start date have been revealed. As announced on social media, "The Punisher: One Last Kill" will be released on Disney+ on May 12, 2026. Jon Bernthal once again takes on the role of the Marvel anti-hero.
However, Bernthal is not only acting in front of the camera. The "Walking Dead" actor is also responsible for the story of the new "Punisher" adventure, which is being promoted as a Marvel Television Special Presentation. The film will therefore not be released in cinemas, but will be streamed exclusively on Disney+. Details of the plot have not yet been announced. However, the story will presumably tie in with the events from the series "Daredevil: Born Again", in which Frank Castle aka the Punisher breaks out of prison. In addition to Bernthal, Jason R. Moore and Roe Rancell can also be seen as actors. The film will be directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, with whom Bernthal previously worked on the biopic "King Richard" and the mini-series "We Own This City".
New Punisher film: Violence has a price
As previously announced, the film will paint a complex psychological picture of the former soldier who takes the law into his own hands after his family is brutally murdered. The new story will also show that violence has a price. It is safe to assume that things will be a little tougher here than in most other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the Disney+ film is unlikely to be quite as martial as the "Punisher" series, which once ran on Netflix. After all, the ultra-tough Netflix series about the anti-hero is more brutal than almost any other Marvel adaptation has ever been.
The character of the Punisher is obviously very important in Bernthal's career. He expressed his appreciation in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter around ten years ago:
"The Punisher means so much to so many people, and it lives in so many different people's heads, so they care about it so much. That's huge to me, and I understand it. I'm familiar with the comic book audience from my time on 'The Walking Dead': They're very intelligent, loyal and passionate."
First appearance in Daredevil
Jon Bernthal made his first appearance as the Punisher back in 2016, when he appeared as a recurring character in the second season of the Netflix series "Daredevil". Bernthal's performance was apparently so well received that the character was promptly given his own series. The spin-off "The Punisher" also ran on Netflix from 2017 to 2019. After two seasons, the adventures of Frank Castle came to an end. Together with Daredevil, however, the Punisher has now found a new home on Disney+. After his guest appearance in "Daredevil: Born Again", he now gets a solo appearance in "The Punisher: One Last Kill".
But that's not all. Fans of Frank Castle can also look forward to seeing the Punisher on the big screen. Because Jon Bernthal will also be playing the character in a supporting role in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day". As the first trailer shows, the Punisher and Spider-Man really get into it. Even though it can be assumed that the two heroes will become allies over time - despite their different approaches to fighting crime.
Reunion with Spider-Man
His appearance in the new "Spider-Man" film closes a circle that began in the comics. This is where the Punisher made his very first appearance in issue 129 of "The Amazing Spider-Man". In the 1974 comic, the Punisher appears as the antagonist: He has been ordered to kill Spider-Man. How fortunate that both survived and can now see each other again in the movies. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" opens on July 30, 2026 and you can watch the trailer now.
