Jon Bernthal is officially back in the Marvel big leagues — and this time, he’s bringing his war to the world of Spider-Man. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting today that Bernthal has joined Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the latest Marvel and Sony collaboration starring Tom Holland and directed by Shang-Chi filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton. The film is set to begin shooting in England this summer and will hit theatres on July 31, 2026.
Bernthal reprises his fan-favorite role as Frank Castle, aka The Punisher from Daredevil, marking the character’s first appearance in a Spider-Man movie. And while most plot details are still locked away tighter than a Stark Industries vault, the inclusion of Castle suggests a much grittier flavor than usual for Holland’s friendly neighborhood hero. We may finally be getting our street-level Spidey movie, and this is brilliant news. In a fun twist, the Punisher actually started out as a Spider-Man character, debuting in Amazing Spider-Man #129.
Bernthal first stepped into Frank Castle’s combat boots in Netflix’s Daredevil, instantly winning fans with his brooding, brutal portrayal of the iconic vigilante. He then led his own spin-off, The Punisher, which ran for two seasons before Netflix’s Marvel shows were axed. He’s since returned for a few episodes of Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+, with plans for more to come. Marvel isn’t done with Castle just yet — Bernthal is reportedly co-writing and starring in a standalone Punisher movie for Disney+, and he’s confirmed for Born Again Season 2. One of his conditions for returning? Keeping Frank Castle’s R-rated intensity intact, something fans were delighted with.
What Will ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Be About?
Brand New Day picks up after the memory-wiping events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, with Peter Parker once again a virtual nobody in the Marvel Universe. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are both returning as MJ and Ned, although it’s not clear yet how central their roles will be this time. The film’s biggest new addition is Stranger Things breakout Sadie Sink, whose role is still under wraps.
There’s also been a flood of speculation online about potential villains, ranging from classic mob bosses to alternate Hulks and symbiotes — though nothing has been confirmed. But now that The Punisher’s in the mix, the tone could skew more street-level than space-bound, at least for a portion of the film. Then again, Thanos (Josh Brolin) could pop up as the CEO of Oscorp for all we know.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters July 31, 2026.
via Collider