Marvel antihero The Punisher is back in action with his very own Disney+ special: One Last Kill.
With a title like that, you might assume that this is a swan song for tormented veteran Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), whose beloved family was killed by a criminal gang years ago, leaving him a shell of his former self.
But on the contrary, Marvel fans will be well aware that this is only the first outing for The Punisher this year, as the ruthless vigilante is also due to appear in July’s much-anticipated blockbuster Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Given the proximity of their release, there had been some hope that Frank Castle’s return might bring with it some clues about Tom Holland’s secretive Spidey sequel. Does it deliver on that front?
Here’s the verdict on how The Punisher: One Last Kill sets up Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
To be frank (no pun intended), The Punisher: One Last Kill sets up Spider-Man: Brand New Day to a very limited extent, as it tells an unrelated story delving deep into the title character’s tortured psyche.
The ‘one last kill’ here refers to Frank eliminating the final person complicit in his family’s tragic murder, leaving him with a quandary over whether to continue his vigilantism or, perhaps, take his own life.
Ultimately, he concludes that his lethal crime-fighting could continue beyond his own quest for personal retribution, after coming to the aid of a family threatened by vengeful crime boss Ma Gnucci (Poker Face and Ugly Betty star Judith Light).
Particularly, their child reminded him strongly of his own late daughter, renewing his mission to prevent anyone else from having to suffer the same avoidable grief that ravaged his once-happy life.
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Although Ma Gnucci is still at large by the end of the special, it’s unlikely that this storyline will factor into Spider-Man: Brand New Day, meaning One Last Kill isn’t essential viewing for anyone already familiar with The Punisher.
What the special does offer is an updated status quo for Frank in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, establishing him as a figure poised to continue his brutal war on organised crime for many more years. How useful for long-term franchise planning!
It remains to be seen whether The Punisher: One Last Kill could lead to another spin-off series for the character (having previously led a gritty two-season drama on Netflix), but it certainly leaves plenty of options on the table for Bernthal and Marvel Studios.
Daredevil: Born Again boss Dario Scardapane previously revealed to Variety that The Punisher: One Last Kill would be set “after [Netflix’s] Punisher and before and during the events of [Born Again] season 2”.
Meanwhile, executive producer Sana Amanat told Radio Times: “One thing about Frank Castle – and Jon Bernthal, I would say – [is] he’s not necessarily a team-up kind of guy. He has his own journey, and he will stay true to that journey, and ultimately that’s what this is supposed to be.”
The Punisher: One Last Kill is available to stream on Disney Plus. Sign-up to Disney+ from £5.99 a month.
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