“The Punisher” Plea: Marvel, Ignite th...

The Punisher has starred in three featured films, but the timing seems right to finally bring one to life that was pitched over a decade ago.

Marvel fielded pitches for a Punisher movie in the MCU several years before the character got his own TV series, and now seems like the perfect time to bring Frank to the big screen. The Punisher has starred in three theatrical movies of varying quality, but, since Punisher: War Zone (2008), Frank Castle has stayed on the small screen. Job Bernthal’s version of the character proved immensely popular during his time in Daredevil season 2 (2016) and The Punisher seasons 1 and 2 (2017/2019), and he’ll soon return to the MCU as part of 2025’s Daredevil: Born Again cast.

However, it’s hitherto unclear what Marvel Studios’ plans are for the Punisher, Daredevil, Kingpin, and other notable street-level heroes after Born Again. It’s possible this side of the MCU will remain on the small screen, but given the immense popularity of the characters, it seems like another big-screen treatment is overdue. Fortunately, several talented creatives have pitched Punisher movies, and at least one is still very interested in bringing his ideas to life.

Adam Simon’s Punisher Movie Would Have Been A Spiritual Successor To The Winter Soldier

While countless movie pitches for different Marvel heroes likely happen every year, actor and writer Adam Simon, who’s currently working on the long-awaited Hollywood version of The Raid, has been particularly vocal about his original idea and continued desire to make it happen. Speaking with Comic Book, Simon described his original pitch, which would have put Frank at odds with one of the MCU’s most influential individuals. According to him, the movie would have seen the Punisher hunting down Nick Fury for his role in the massive civilian casualties that have resulted from superhero activity. Read his full description below:

In my take, we find Frank Castle as we left him at the end of the series, only now completely aware of the threat that superheroes and villains pose to mankind. So, Frank Castle has to go gunning for the person who he feels is responsible for the innumerable civilian casualties. The one who started it all by organizing these weapons of mass destruction to come together. Nick Fury.

However, the Punisher vs. Fury storyline wouldn’t dominate the movie. Eventually, Frank would realize he’s been set up, and he and Fury would be on the run from a villain or villains whom Simon doesn’t specify. While Simon doesn’t specify exactly when his pitch happened, he does say that it was in the “Dirty Laundry” era of the character – a reference to the 2012 Punisher short film starring Thomas Jane (viewable on YouTube), made to express his interest in stepping back into the role.

Fury being the target of a vicious, militant pursuer being misled by a powerful villain who eventually joins the forces of good should sound familiar to the plot of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but the comparison is hardly an insult given how great the Captain America sequel is. The grounded, action-espionage tone works perfectly for the Punisher, which Simon agrees with, describing his movie as “3:10 to Yuma meets Leon: The Professional by way of Winter Soldier.”

Why Now Is A Great Time For Simon’s Punisher Movie

Though Daredevil, The Punisher, and the rest of the Defenders Saga TV shows that were originally released on Netflix were always billed as MCU canon, that status came into question when Marvel Studios began producing its own shows for Disney+. However, Daredevil and Kingpin have re-appeared in the modern MCU, and Frank Castle will soon follow suit in 2025’s Daredevil: Born Again. Given the immense popularity of Bernthal’s version of Frank Castle, it seems like the perfect time to bring him to the big screen after a 16 year (and counting) absence.

Moreover, the Punisher, Daredevil, and other street-level heroes are exactly what the MCU needs right now. The cinematic universe’s earlier years mixed more grounded stories with fantasy and sci-fi adventures, but the brand has largely lost its smaller-scale side among larger epics. If the Punisher, Daredevil, Kingpin, and more can successfully transition to feature films, it would give the MCU a much-needed sense of tonal diversity that’s felt like it’s gone by the wayside.

Moreover, Adam Simon has made it clear that he continues to update his original pitch to match wherever the Punisher character is at so that it makes sense. It may be too late for Frank to hunt down Fury, given the latter has stayed mostly off the grid for years, but the same premise could see him tracking down any number of heroes who have caused collateral damage. However, only time will tell what’s next for the Punisher after Daredevil: Born Again and whether that continuation will be on the big or small screen.