Highly awaited Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, etc., is an upcoming superhero movie based on the comic team of the same name. The project is part of Phase 5 of the MCU and is set to be directed by Jake Schreier and comprises a darker team; mostly reformed villains.
The new MCU team is being put together by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine played by actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and is led by Bucky Barnes played by Sebastian Stan. It was noted that way before Marvel Studios announced the project; the concept of Thunderbolts had managed to draw heavy speculation from the ardent fans of the franchise.
The project which was finally confirmed at the 2022’s D23 Expo and was scheduled for 2024 holiday release has now moved to July 2025 release after it was halted due to the strike. The ardent fans have been curious about the appearance of one of the fan-favorite characters in the movie and now there has been an update on the same.
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Jon Bernthal’s The Punisher is NOT a part of Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts
According to an industry insider X account (@MyTimeToShineHello) actor Jon Bernthal who plays The Punisher is NOT going to be a part of Marvel Studios’ upcoming super villainsesque movie Thunderbolts which stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, etc.
The actor is reportedly set to reprise his role as Frank Castle in the Disney+ series; Daredevil: Born Again and according to reports by The Direct, the actor is going to serve as one of the main actors of the series alongside Charlie Cox, who is set to play the lead Matt Murdock a.k.a., Daredevil.
Frank Castle’s character was first introduced in Netflix’s mini-universe of street-level Marvel characters and later in 2016, The Punisher debuted in season two of Daredevil before starring in his series which ran for two seasons.
After the news of The Punisher returning for Daredevil: Born Again was circulated, the actor decided to post a picture of himself as The Punisher on his social media and shared a clip on his official YouTube channel with the title, Frank Castle is Back. Fans are a little disappointed with the character not being a part of Thunderbolts but at the same time looking for his appearance on Daredevil: Born Again.
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Wyatt Russell is confident about Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts
Actor Wyatt Russell who is going to play the U.S. Agent in Thunderbolts recently spoke to THR while promoting his Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters alongside his father Kurt Russell at the 92NY. He said,
“We have almost started shooting that about 14 times. I have confidence it’s going to be good. I know everybody is sort of on this Marvel train right now of things not going so well. “
He continued,
“I know Jake so well and I know how smart Jake is and how much he cares about making something interesting and different and utilizing everyone’s talents to the best of their ability. And the story that I think they’ve come up with is really interesting. I know parts of the story and how the story works. I can’t talk about it. But it’s not straightforward Marvel movies as you’ve seen in the past.”
The actor who appeared as John Walker in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier lastly added that according to him, it’s going to be a lot of fun but it will be something that hopefully Marvel fans will look at and like it’s a little different and embrace it. He added that it’s time to make a good Marvel movie and not take things for granted.
Frequently asked questions
Is Jon Bernthal’s Punisher in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts?
No. According to the industry-insider X account @MyTimeToShineHello cited in this report, Jon Bernthal’s Punisher (Frank Castle) is not part of Thunderbolts. The film centers on a darker team of mostly reformed villains assembled by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and led by Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), with Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Wyatt Russell also starring. This was an unconfirmed insider claim at the time of writing, not an official Marvel Studios announcement.
Where will Jon Bernthal play the Punisher next instead of Thunderbolts?
The report says Bernthal is set to reprise Frank Castle in the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again, and per The Direct he will serve as one of the show’s main actors alongside Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock/Daredevil. Bernthal first introduced the character in Netflix’s street-level Marvel universe, debuting in season two of Daredevil in 2016 before headlining his own Punisher series, which ran for two seasons. After the news circulated, Bernthal posted a photo of himself as the Punisher and a YouTube clip titled ‘Frank Castle is Back.’
When was Thunderbolts scheduled to release?
The article notes Thunderbolts was confirmed at the 2022 D23 Expo and originally scheduled for a 2024 holiday release, then moved to a July 2025 release after production was halted due to the strike. The film is part of Phase 5 of the MCU and is directed by Jake Schreier. Release dates in entertainment coverage can shift, so always check Marvel’s official announcements for the confirmed theatrical date.
