Home News > Jon Bernthal Nearly Exits Daredevil: Born Again, Reveals Why

Jon Bernthal Nearly Exits Daredevil: Born Again, Reveals Why

by Liam May 14,2025

Since the 2015 Netflix series, it's become almost unthinkable to envision Charlie Cox's Daredevil without Jon Bernthal's Punisher. However, Bernthal recently shared insights into why he initially opted out of the Disney+ revival, Daredevil: Born Again.

The actor, known for his role in The Wolf of Wall Street, disclosed that his initial hesitation stemmed from the creative direction proposed for his character, Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher.

"Ultimately, I didn't see it. I didn't see the version of Frank, and what they wanted from Frank [didn't] really make sense to me,” Bernthal expressed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “I thought [it] would not appeal to the fans and wouldn't be congruent. It was not something I was really interested in doing. So we had to walk away."

PlayFollowing a significant creative overhaul after the strikes, producer Dario Scardapane was appointed as the new showrunner for the series. This change marked a turning point for Bernthal, who had previously collaborated with Scardapane on The Punisher series.

"They really brought me into the conversation," Bernthal noted about his discussions with Scardapane and Marvel. "We really got specific about where Frank is psychologically, where Frank's at physically."

Warning! Spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again follow.