With Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will finally break a track record a decade after his first MCU appearance. It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since Bernthal’s Punisher debuted in Daredevil season two. Despite being a guest star, Bernthal stole the whole season, with the star embodying Frank Castle’s bottomless rage and grief.
Bernthal soon fronted Netflix’s Punisher solo show, but he has had a spotty run through the MCU. After Netflix’s Marvel shows were abruptly canceled, that section of the franchise went on hiatus, and for a time, it seemed Bernthal would never return. The Punisher fans have been eating particularly well since 2025, with the character appearing in both Daredevil: Born Again’s first season and his own «special presentation» short, One Last Kill.
Friendly Neighborhood Assessment · MCU Era Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Trivia
🏠Homecoming2017
✈️Far From Home2019
🌌No Way Home2021
😈VillainsSinister…
🤖MCUAvengers
01
Before getting his own solo film, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut by being recruited by Tony Stark to help in a massive superhero conflict. In which MCU film did Holland first appear as Spider-Man?
✓ Correct! Tom Holland first appeared as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War (2016), where Tony Stark visits Peter in Queens and recruits him for the airport battle against Team Cap. His quippy, starstruck portrayal instantly won over audiences.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Captain America: Civil War. Holland debuted in the 2016 film before Homecoming (2017). He was recruited by Tony Stark for the iconic airport fight scene, stealing Captain America’s shield with his webs in one of the film’s most memorable moments.
02
In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter faces a blue-collar salvage contractor who turned to arms dealing after being shut out of the Chitauri cleanup by Damage Control. Using an alien-tech wingsuit, he becomes one of Spider-Man’s most grounded villains. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Adrian Toomes, played brilliantly by Michael Keaton, is the Vulture — a working-class father who builds a criminal empire selling alien-derived weapons. The twist that he’s the father of Peter’s date Liz is one of the MCU’s best surprises.
✗ Web miss! The answer is The Vulture (Adrian Toomes). The Shocker and Tinkerer are his henchmen in the film, and Scorpion (Mac Gargan) only briefly appears. Toomes is the main antagonist who personally confronts Peter in the unforgettable car ride scene.
03
Tony Stark built Peter a high-tech suit loaded with features Peter didn’t even know about, including an AI assistant that helps him in combat, provides tactical analysis, and even gives dating advice. What name does Peter give this AI?
✓ Correct! Peter names his suit’s AI “Karen,” voiced by Jennifer Connelly. She assists him with web shooter modes, reconnaissance, and even his love life. Friday is Tony Stark’s AI, and E.D.I.T.H. is the Stark satellite system that appears in Far From Home.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Karen. Friday is Tony Stark’s personal AI, E.D.I.T.H. is the Stark defense satellite Peter inherits in Far From Home, and Jocasta is an AI from the comics. Karen, voiced by Jennifer Connelly, is Peter’s suit assistant throughout Homecoming.
04
In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter encounters a seemingly heroic figure who claims to be from an alternate Earth, battling elemental creatures across Europe. In reality, he’s a disgruntled former Stark Industries employee using advanced holographic drones. What is his real name?
✓ Correct! Quentin Beck, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, is Mysterio — a master of illusion who uses Stark Industries’ B.A.R.F. holographic technology and weaponized drones to fabricate the Elementals and pose as a hero. His final act of revenge shapes the entire third film.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Quentin Beck. William Ginter Riva is one of Beck’s team members, Aldrich Killian is the villain of Iron Man 3, and Justin Hammer is from Iron Man 2. Beck is Mysterio, the illusionist who manipulated Peter’s trust across Europe.
05
In one of the MCU’s most shocking mid-credits scenes, J. Jonah Jameson broadcasts doctored footage from Mysterio’s final moments that completely upends Peter Parker’s life. What does this broadcast reveal to the entire world?
✓ Correct! Mysterio’s doctored footage, broadcast by J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons reprising his iconic role), exposes Spider-Man’s identity as Peter Parker to the entire world. This revelation drives the entire plot of No Way Home as Peter desperately seeks to undo the damage.
✗ Web miss! The answer is that Spider-Man is Peter Parker. While the footage also frames Spider-Man for the London drone attack, the earth-shattering reveal is Peter’s unmasked identity being broadcast globally by The Daily Bugle’s J. Jonah Jameson.
06
With his identity exposed and his loved ones under threat, Peter seeks help from a powerful sorcerer to cast a spell that would make the world forget he is Spider-Man. Peter’s constant modifications to the spell cause it to fracture the multiverse. Which sorcerer casts this spell?
✓ Correct! Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) casts the memory-wiping spell at Peter’s request, but Peter keeps asking for exceptions — for MJ, Ned, May, and Happy to still remember him. These constant changes corrupt the spell and tear open the multiverse, pulling in villains from other Spider-Man universes.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Doctor Strange. While Wong is the Sorcerer Supreme and actually warns Strange against it, it is Stephen Strange who agrees to cast the spell. Wanda’s multiverse interference occurs in Multiverse of Madness, not here.
07
Throughout all three films, Peter’s loyal best friend serves as his “guy in the chair,” helping with tech support and keeping his secret. In No Way Home, this character even discovers he can open magical portals using a Sling Ring. Who is Peter’s best friend?
✓ Correct! Ned Leeds, played by Jacob Batalon, is Peter’s best friend and self-proclaimed “guy in the chair.” He discovers Peter’s secret identity in Homecoming, supports him across all three films, and in No Way Home he accidentally uses Doctor Strange’s Sling Ring to open portals to other Spider-Men.
✗ Web miss! The answer is Ned Leeds. Flash Thompson is Peter’s rival and bully who ironically idolizes Spider-Man. Harry Osborn is Peter’s friend in the Raimi and Webb films but doesn’t appear in Holland’s trilogy. Miles Morales is only hinted at. Ned is the irreplaceable “guy in the chair.”
08
At the emotional climax of No Way Home, Peter makes an enormous personal sacrifice to save the multiverse. Doctor Strange completes the spell, and when it takes effect, Peter is left completely alone. What does the final spell do?
✓ Correct! The final spell makes every person in every universe forget that Peter Parker exists. MJ, Ned, Happy, the Avengers — everyone. Peter visits MJ at the coffee shop afterward but decides not to re-introduce himself, choosing to protect them. He starts over completely alone, sewing his own suit in a small apartment.
✗ Web miss! The answer is that everyone forgets who Peter Parker is. The spell doesn’t erase Spider-Man — people still know the hero exists — but nobody remembers Peter Parker the person. This devastating sacrifice means MJ, Ned, and even Happy Hogan have no memory of him at all.
Assessment Complete Your Spider-Sense Rating
/ 8
Are you an Avenger — or just a friendly neighborhood bystander?
Next up is the Punisher’s appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, where he and the titular webslinger become unexpected allies. Given that previous The Punisher movies and shows have been hard R-rated, it will be interesting to see how the vigilante functions inside a PG-13 blockbuster. The sequel also breaks a record for the MCU’s Punisher, because despite making his debut in 2016, Bernthal’s Castle has never appeared in a theatrical movie before.
It Took A Decade For Jon Bernthal’s Punisher To Appear In An MCU Movie
Of course, this speaks to the MCU’s movie strategy. Outside of 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine the franchise has no other R-rated films. Hence, Bernthal’s Punisher was a better fit for the small screen. Still, given that all the previous live-action Punishers (Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane, and Ray Stevenson) all got solo films, it feels strange Bernthal is so late to the party.
It’s only natural that Brand New Day’s Punisher will have some edges sanded off; after all, he can’t go around dropping F-bombs or shooting criminals in the head. Based on trailers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the movie will be leaning hard into buddy cop terrority with its Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and Frank Castle team-up, with the two reluctant partners trading quips as they deal with Spider-Man’s latest foes.
Despite appearing in multiple violent action movies and thrillers, Bernthal has also displayed an impressive knack for comedy. The Punisher’s role in Brand New Day is oddly fitting too, since Castle made his first appearance in a Spider-Man comic. Having the character make his MCU film debut in a PG-13 blockbuster is either going to be a disaster or it’s an inspired move.
Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Deserves A Solo Movie After Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle stands bleeding in The Punisher One Last Kill promo image.
Bernthal’s Punisher has been obnoxiously held back by multiple soft reboots. All his Netflix appearances, including Daredevil, involved Castle working his way up to becoming a vigilante. Instead of Frank embracing the alter ego, he kept stepping back from it. This was partly true of One Last Kill, but it appears that Brand New Day will mark the first time Castle has completely committed to his rebirth as the Punisher.
Jon Bernthal and Tom Holland previously starred together in 2017’s Pilgrimage.
It’s great that the antihero has finally crossed over into movies, but Marvel should keep the momentum going. Jon Bernthal’s Punisher more than deserves his own film, and there’s plenty of great comics material it could pull from. In particular is Garth Ennis’ legendary Max comic run, which had great (and often harrowing) stories and memorable villains like Barracuda. The main question of a Bernthal Punisher movie, however, is where it would end up.
It would work best as a mid-budget action movie without any intrusive superhero cameos. Marvel could test the waters of their R-rated characters by giving them theatrical pushes, but in all likelihood, such a solo film would be a Disney+ exclusive. Whatever the format, it feels like Jon Bernthal’s journey with the Punisher has been leading to a movie, and after Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it would be fantastic to see that finally happen.
Created by
Gerry Conway, John Romita Sr., Ross Andru
First Film
The Punisher
Latest Film
Punisher: War Zone
Upcoming Films
The Punisher Special Presentation
First TV Show
The Punisher
Latest TV Show
The Punisher
The Punisher franchise follows Frank Castle, a former Marine turned vigilante after the murder of his family. Operating outside the law, Castle wages a one-man war on crime using lethal methods and military tactics. Known for its gritty realism and moral ambiguity, the franchise spans comics, films, television series, and video games, making The Punisher one of Marvel’s most enduring antiheroes.
