The Punisher: One Last Kill Unleashes Jon Bernthal’s R-Rated Fury in Gritty First Look

Disney+ is teeing up a bloody homecoming for Frank Castle. Next week, Marvel Television drops its one-hour special 'The Punisher: One Last Kill,' and Marvel timed a fresh teaser to land right as the 'Daredevil: Born Again' season 2 finale aired. If you were wondering why Frank ghosted 'Born Again' this year and what this special is actually setting up, here’s the rundown.

New footage, same mean streak

The first trailer for 'One Last Kill' made it crystal clear: we’re in for a brutal dive into Frank’s headspace as a fast-rising crime outfit drags him back into old business he never finished. Jon Bernthal looks locked in and lethal, and the new look that dropped during the 'Born Again' finale doesn’t soften any of that. It mostly doubles down on the violence from trailer one while slipping in a few quick new shots. The clip hit the official Punisher socials on May 5, with Frank basically daring the world to hit him harder, because of course he is.

Where was Frank in 'Born Again' season 2?

Short answer: not there. Despite season 1 ending with a setup for Frank to take revenge on Wilson Fisk’s corrupt AVTF (the anti-vigilante task force that beat him down and hauled him off), season 2 didn’t feature him at all and never explained it in-story. The real reason is the boring-but-important behind-the-scenes kind: Bernthal was tied up with this special and his planned appearance in 'Spider- Man: Brand New Day, ' which made a 'Born Again' return a non-starter. With any luck, 'One Last Kill' will plug that narrative hole.

Bernthal on what this special is actually doing

Bernthal didn’t just come back to wear the vest; he executive produced and co-wrote 'One Last Kill.' In a recent interview, he laid out the mission statement:

"We really tried to honor the comic and the comic book fans. The directive from day one was pretty simple: it was how do we get Frank from this place in his life where he is reeling and spiraling out of control, a man who is set on absolute vengeance, to a place where he can find some meaning, where he can find something new to fight for? But he does find a bit of purpose, and I think that is an exciting new take on the character."

Translation: this feels like the end of one chapter for Castle and the start of another.

The Spider-Man question

All the footage so far screams 'feral, wounded Frank.' So how does that guy slide into the much more family- friendly world of 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' alongside Tom Holland ’s Peter Parker? I doubt we’re getting a totally declawed Punisher, but it’s also hard to picture him fitting neatly without some recalibration. That tension could be the fun of it. Oil and water can make a great combo on screen.

Key dates and details

• 'The Punisher: One Last Kill' premieres May 12 on Disney+ as a Marvel Television Special Presentation; it’s a one-hour standalone.
• A new teaser dropped May 5 during the 'Daredevil: Born Again' season 2 finale, showing more of the special’s gnarly action.
• Frank Castle sat out 'Born Again' season 2 entirely, despite season 1 setting up his revenge on Fisk’s corrupt AVTF.
• Reason for the absence: Bernthal’s schedule, split between 'One Last Kill' and 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day.'
• It’s been 10 years since Bernthal’s MCU debut as Punisher in 2016, and 2026 is lining up as his biggest year yet.

We’ll see next week if 'One Last Kill' sticks the landing and sets Frank up cleanly for his swing into Spidey’s world.