Jon Bernthal on Nearly Skipping Daredevil: Born Again Return

Since the acclaimed 2015 Netflix series, it's hard to picture Charlie Cox's Daredevil without Jon Bernthal's compelling portrayal of The Punisher. However, Bernthal recently shared insights into why he was initially hesitant about joining the Disney+ revival, Daredevil: Born Again.

Known for his role in The Wolf of Wall Street, Bernthal expressed his reservations about the initial creative direction for his character, Frank Castle, in the new series. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he stated, "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. 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."

The series underwent a significant creative overhaul following the strikes, and with the appointment of producer Dario Scardapane as the new showrunner, Bernthal's perspective began to shift. Having previously collaborated with Scardapane on The Punisher series, Bernthal felt more aligned with the new vision for Frank Castle. He noted, "They really brought me into the conversation. We really got specific about where Frank is psychologically, where Frank's at physically."

Warning! Spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again follow.