The Punisher Explained In 27 Minutes Before Spider-Man: Brand New Day

"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is coming to a cineplex near you, and Frank "The Punisher" Castle (Jon Bernthal) is coming with it. The seemingly unlikely pairing of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and the ever ruthless Punisher is a combination that warrants a closer look before heading to check out the movie. Looper's explainer video above is the perfect way to get the ins and outs of Frank's history and find out precisely how he ended up in this particular Marvel Cinematic Universe film, of all places.

Both on the printed page and in live action, the untold truth of the Punisher is quite a journey. The character was created by Gerry Conway, Ross Andru, and John Romita Sr., making his debut in "Amazing Spider-Man" #129 in 1973. As such, Frank Castle and Spider-Man actually share plenty of history. As is so often the case with comic book characters, Frank has been through numerous changes over the years, and he's appeared in several Punisher movies. Before his current live-action iteration, he was portrayed by Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane, and Ray Stevenson.

Jon Bernthal first started portraying Frank Castle in 2016 when the vigilante appeared as a pivotal character in "Daredevil" Season 2. The character went on to receive his own two-season show, "The Punisher," which ran from 2017 to 2019. After Marvel's Defenders Saga moved from Netflix to Disney+, the Punisher might not have seemed like the most obvious choice to transition from the gritty Netflix Defenders era to the comparatively family-friendly tentpole world of the MCU. Yet, the character soon started making waves once more. Frank returned in 2025 for "Daredevil: Born Again" Season 1, and in 2026 he received his own TV special on Disney+, "The Punisher: One Last Kill."

With over a decade of Frank Castle under his belt, Bernthal is easily the longest-tenured actor to portray the character, and his take on the Punisher may very well be remembered as the definitive one. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" marks his first appearance in a full-length MCU film, and two things are certain: Mayhem will be on the menu, and Looper's video explainer above is the best way to get prepared for the movie's take on the Punisher before "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" drops in theaters on July 31, 2026.