Ahead of Daredevil: Born Again‘s March 4 premiere, Marvel Television is making some massive changes to its upcoming Disney+ slate.
Per Entertainment Weekly, Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as Frank Castle / The Punisher in an upcoming Marvel Studios Special Presentation centered around the fan-favorite vigilante. So far, Marvel has released two specials under that banner, Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, both released in 2022 on Disney+ as part of Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Bernthal is also writing the script with his We Own This City director Reinaldo Marcus Green, who will helm this standalone special. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Television, Animation, and Streaming, described the upcoming The Punisher continuation as a “shotgun blast of a story” that “also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story.” Ahead of the special, which is targeting a 2026 release date, Bernthal will appear as The Punisher in Born Again Season 1.
Four MCU Disney+ Series Shelved
The Punisher news comes amid reports that Marvel Studios has paused development on three Disney+ series, one of which many were unaware was even in the works. According to Deadline, Marvel Television has paused development on Nova, Strange Academy, and Terror, Inc. While Marvel had spoken openly about the Nova series in the past, while Strange Academy was heavily rumored, nobody knew that the studio was planning a series based on the 1992 comic Terror, Inc., which centers on an antihero by the name of Terror, who possesses the ability to incorporate the body parts of others into his own form, gaining their memories and abilities.
There is a silver lining as none of the three series are officially canceled, with sources stressing to Deadline that they may be revived at some point. Marvel Studios has simply shifted its priorities at the moment.
However, one reported Disney+ series that is officially dead is the Black Panther spinoff centered around Danai Gurira’s Okoye. During a recent interview with Pay or Wait (via X), Winderbaum confirmed that Marvel was no longer moving ahead with Okoye: “I think fans of Okoye are going to be excited to see her come back, but I don’t think it’s going to be in a television show.”
The Okoye spinoff series was first announced in February 2021, as part of Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s five-year overall exclusive television deal with Disney. Gurira signed on to reprise her role in May 2022.
Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney+ on March 4, 2025, as part of Phase 5 of the MCU.
Are you stoked for a new Punisher project? Are you bummed about any of the Disney+ series being shelved for the time being? Discuss in the comments!