Rumors are swirling that Marvel and Netflix are developing a series based on the comic book villain Punisher, set to be played by Jon Bernthal on Season 2 of “Daredevil.”
“Daredevil” Season 2 producers Doug Petrie and Marco Ramirez declined to confirm or comment on such a possibility, but did delve into how they were able to introduce the Frank Castle character to their show.
“We got the pleasure of introducing Frank Castle into Hell’s Kitchen and our world,” said Petrie. “Where we start him off is, this is ‘Daredevil’ and ‘Daredevil’ Season 2, and the question was put before us. Jeph Loeb at Marvel has been extremely helpful at positioning this season as ‘What is it to be a hero?’ Season 1 is the guy becomes a hero, and now, what is he going to do? Frank Castle comes and really stirs the pot, like, ‘oh, you’re going to do this? I’m going to do this too. We’re not that different, you’re not that superior.’ There’s a little difference between them and that little difference is an enormous moral chasm that is kind of the engine for the season.”
Season 2 will also move Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox) closer to the eventual “Defenders” team up with Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist, but “Daredevil” still remains centrally focused on the blind lawyer.
“In terms of ‘Daredevil’ Season 2, we were kind of our own gig,” Petrie told reporters following the panel. “We had both the coroboration and support of both Marvel and Netflix, but we were pretty much in our own Matt, Foggy, Karen world.”
“But that said, I would add that one of the perks that come with a job like this is, as fans, we got to read their scripts,” said Ramirez. “That was pretty great, to be able to know what they were doing on the other side of the hall.”
Petrie and Ramirez also played coy when asked if other Defenders might show up in cameos during Season 2 of “Daredevil.”
“Daredevil” Season 2 premieres Friday, Mar. 18.