Ever since Marvel Studios got the rights back to the vigilante Punisher speculation on when he would make his big MCU debut has run rampt. We have had several hints to the character in All hail The King as well as Captain America: The Winter Solider but no actual appearance. Hands down everyone's favorite actor who has played the character is Thomas Jane from 2004's The Punisher. While the film didn't make much money and lacked in action for more drama it still was the best interpretation we have had out of all three Punisher films. That was until Thomas Jane took it upon himself to create the 2012 short film Dirty Laundry starring himself once again as The Punisher. This short made people believe he was the clear choice to once again play the character if Marvel ever used the character in the movies.
Well, now Marvel is only a few short months away from releasing their first "darker" Netflix series Daredevil who has a long complicated history with The Punisher. They both are literally two sides of the same coin. Daredevil fears that without control he could turn into The Punisher while battling the mob in New York's, Hells Kitchen. So many have wondered would Punisher appear in the show or the other upcoming Hells Kitchen shows like Jessica Jones, Luke cage or Iron Fist? No casting or hint to the character has been given but fan-favorite Thomas Jane reveals he would return. While speaking on his own popular Reddit AMA the actor reveals to a fan that with the right story he would return to the character:
He then unfortunately goes onto reveal to iamROUGE that maybe at his age (currently 45) his body really couldn't take the stress of being a hero once again with the intense training that seems to come with a Marvel contract. He then finally mentions maybe the next Punisher should be an unknown with a square jaw just like the comics:Yeah, tell 'em I really love Circle of Blood, where Frank gets thrown in prison with a bunch of the guys that he put there. Well, the Navy SEAL training was some of the hardest and most rewarding training I've ever done. The SEALS that I worked with were some of the most level-headed, intelligent, and loyal people i've ever met. And with the right story - I'd do it again. Yeah.
"I feel like I've [played a true version of the character already]. That's why I did [Dirty Laundry]. I wanted to create something that was truer to my own vision of what that [Punisher (2004)] could be. I feel like I put that out there. It was really well received. I hope that The Punisher will continue. I hope they get an idea of what it can be and how to make it successful. I hope that they use that short film as a template for how to make it truer to what that character is. I said what I wanted to say with that guy. I don't think I ever really was the perfect Frank Castle. I look at him as Italian. A guy who, I guess I'm the right age now, but I would see him as a weathered guy. My body is not quite perfect for Frank. I would see Frank as more of a square jawed, lock-jawed kind of guy. I don't know who it would be. I think you'd need an unknown to play Frank. He’s really the ideal asshole!"
