Rosario Dawson Walks Back Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Return Comments

Though the door is still open for the character’s to come back, Rosario Dawson is walking back her comments that Jon Bernthal’s Punisher is returning. Bernthal made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Daredevil season 2 as Frank Castle, a former Marine who is on a bloody quest for vengeance following the murder of his family by gang members. Castle and Charlie Cox’s Daredevil initially find themselves on opposing sides as the latter tries to convince him killing isn’t the answer while the former believes it’s the only way to stop crime.

Bernthal would go on to lead his own MCU series with Netflix’s The Punisher, which saw him pulled out of retirement from his vigilante life as he learns of a larger conspiracy behind the murder of his family and a mystery surrounding the attempted murder of drifter Amy Bendix. The series ran for two seasons at the streaming platform, scoring mixed-to-positive reviews from critics who praised Bernthal and Ben Barnes’ performances and its action sequences, though saw its plot, writing and excessive violence met with a mixed response. As Marvel Television was folded into Marvel Studios, The Punisher was cancelled after two seasons, leaving Bernthal’s MCU future up in the air and though audiences seemingly got positive news over the weekend, it appears to have been a bit too soon.

Following her comments at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, Rosario Dawson took to Twitter to address her Punisher return comments. The MCU star walked back her previous reveal, admitting that she “can’t be trusted” and that she “gets excited.” See what Dawson said below:

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Dawson previously expressed her excitement at Bernthal’s potential Punisher return as she never got the opportunity to appear in the series, having starred as Claire Temple/Night Nurse in the rest of Netflix’s MCU roster. Given her history with the franchise, it’s understandable she would have the inside track on such an announcement, though with Marvel Studios also notoriously tight-lipped about revealing their plans, some are sure to wonder if her comments about Bernthal’s Punisher returning are true or if she indeed was given false information. Dawson’s post above seems to point towards her hearing of The Punisher’s return coming from a fan rather than from her actual Marvel contacts.

Though Dawson may be walking back her comments about Bernthal’s Punisher returning, the door isn’t entirely closed for the actor to return to the MCU in the near future. Fellow Netflix vets Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio recently returned for Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye and are slated to return in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Echo, in which Daredevil is said to be looking for Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, and the Disney+ Daredevil revival subtitled Born Again, making it possible the studio has plans for Bernthal’s Frank Castle to come back. While audiences await further news on that front, they can revisit his MCU tenure currently streaming on Disney+ now.