After making his debut inDaredevil Season 2earlier this year, Marvel and Netflix confirmed that theirPunisher spin-offseries is happening, withJon Bernthalset to return as Frank Castle. The streaming service has yet to announce any further cast members thus far, but today we have the first set photos withJon Bernthalin action, proving that production has in fact started and that Frank has a beard. There had been rumors that Netflix was eyeing a 2017 premiere for the series, which may be true, now that filming is a go.
The photos first surfaced onJust Jared, which reports that the actor was spotted filming scenes for the new series in Brooklyn, New York yesterday. No details about the scene he was filming were given, but it’s somewhat unusual for a series like this to start production without any further casting announcements. TheMarvel Netflixshow’s official announcement in May revealed thatSteve Lightfoot(Hannibal) is serving as Executive Producer and Showrunner in addition to writing the series' first two episodes.
The last we heard about this series was in August, when a rumor surfaced that an iconicMarvel Comicscharacter, David “Microchip Liberman, was being cast on the show. The news didn’t come as much of a surprise to eagle-eyed fans who noticed a subtle reference to the characer in theDaredevilSeason 2 finale. After saying his final farewell to his family, Frank Castle pulled out a CD from a picture frame, which had the word “Micro” written on it, which is likely a reference to the Microchip character.
That August report also included a scene that actors auditioning for Microchip read from, which revealed that Microchip was able to track down Frank Castle, who wasn’t supposed to be found at all. Microchip reveals that both Frank and himself are “after the same people,” since these people they’re after took away his family as well. At the end of the scene, Microchip reveals the name Nicolas Simon, offering to become “partners” withFrank Castle. In the Marvel Comics, Microchip is one of The Punisher’s most trusted allies. He is a hard-drinking computer hacker who often provides Frank with technical support during his missions, and even supplies him with some high-tech gadgets.
Production was originally believed to begin shortly after Season 2 of Jessica Jones wraps, but that’s certainly not the case anymore. A previous report revealed that production onDaredevilSeason 3 andJessica JonesSeason 2 won’t happen until afterThe Defendersseries, which is believed to air sometime next year.The Punishermarks the sixth series ordered thus far as part of the groundbreaking collaboration between Marvel Television and Netflix including the new seriesLuke Cageand the upcomingIron FistandThe Defenders. Take a look at these new photos ofJon Bernthalin action asThe Punisherstarts production.
