Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher, in the upcoming film "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," marking his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe alongside Tom Holland.

The casting announcement brings together two actors who have previously collaborated on multiple projects and represents The Punisher's first theatrical appearance since 2008's "Punisher: War Zone."

The fourth Spider-Man installment is a co-production between Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios, and the announcement of Bernthal's casting comes as the film prepares to begin production this summer in England, with filming scheduled to commence in August at various locations, including Glasgow, Scotland.

Bernthal first portrayed The Punisher in the second season of Marvel's "Daredevil" series on Netflix before starring in his own two-season spinoff series. The character recently returned in Disney's "Daredevil: Born Again" earlier this year, officially integrating the vigilante into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel has also announced that Bernthal is writing a Punisher special for Disney+, which Marvel Television head Brad Winderbaum describes as "a shotgun blast of a story."

The inclusion of The Punisher suggests that "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" will focus on a street-level narrative, departing from the multiversal themes of previous entries. This approach aligns with the film's storyline, which follows the events of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," where the world's memory of Peter Parker's identity as Spider-Man was erased.

Bernthal joins a returning cast that includes Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Zendaya as MJ, and Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds. New additions to the franchise include "Stranger Things" actress Sadie Sink and Emmy-winning "The Bear" star Liza Colón-Zayas in undisclosed roles.

Destin Daniel Cretton, director of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," will helm the project, taking over from Jon Watts, who directed the previous three Holland-starring Spider-Man films. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers return as screenwriters, while Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal serve as producers.

The casting reunites Bernthal and Holland, who previously worked together on the 2017 film "Pilgrimage" and the upcoming epic "The Odyssey." Bernthal has shared that he helped Holland create his audition tape for Spider-Man, claiming some credit for Holland's successful casting in the role.

Pre-production for "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is currently underway at Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom. The film is scheduled for release on July 31, 2026, marking the second "Spider-Man" film to shoot in the UK following 2019's "Spider-Man: Far From Home."

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The Punisher, Tom Holland, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Actor