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Jon Bernthal’s Punisher made a dramatic return in “Daredevil: Born Again” season 1 but he won’t be back for season 2, as he has something arguably better to attend to: his own Disney+ special. In the latest issue of Empire<\/a> magazine, executive producer Sana Amanat confirmed that Frank Castle would not be appearing in “Born Again” season 2 due to the special, which is set to drop in 2026.<\/p>\n I’ll happily watch Jon Bernthal refuse to look anyone in the eye as he talks to them, whether it’s as the lead in the uncompromising and grim look at modern American police that was “We Own This City,”<\/a> or as the bloodthirsty vigilante Frank Castle\/Punisher for Marvel. Bernthal, who first played the role in season 2 of Netflix’s “Daredevil” back in 2016, returned as Castle in 2025 alongside Charlie Cox for the debut season of the sort-of reboot “Daredevil: Born Again,” in which he and the Man Without Fear re-teamed to take on Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk. Castle fought alongside Matt Murdock right until the very end of the season but Cox’s hero will have to handle things without Bernthal’s anti-hero moving forward \u2014 at least for season 2 of the series, which has been shooting throughout 2025.<\/p>\n In February 2025, Marvel confirmed the Punisher would get his own MCU project<\/a> post-“Born Again,” announcing that Bernthal’s lethal vigilante would lead a brand new Marvel Special Presentation. Previously we’ve seen similar projects in the form of fun, monochromatic monster movie homage “Werewolf by Night,”<\/a> and the “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.” Now, it’s the Punisher’s turn. Unfortunately, that means he won’t be available to assist the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen for “Born Again” season 2.<\/p>\n