Frank Castle is back, and this time it’s personal and possibly final (or at least that’s what Marvel wants us to think). Set to arrive in May as a “Marvel Television Special Presentation,” The Punisher: One Last Kill brings Jon Bernthal back as Frank Castle, who is searching for meaning beyond revenge when an unexpected force pulls him back into the fight. Over the past few years, the MCU has steadily been bringing its Netflix-era street-level heroes back into the fold, with Bernthal’s Punisher, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, and Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones all re-entering the landscape in different ways.
Bernthal’s Frank Castle has arguably been the most volatile piece of that return. After reappearing in Daredevil: Born Again, where he once again crossed paths with Matt Murdock and was dragged back into New York’s criminal underworld, Frank is now back in The Punisher: One Last Kill, and this time it’s a brutal, grounded and intensely personal story about one final mission that forces him to confront what his war on crime has actually cost him. With the studio recently showing off the first trailer and locking in a May release date, here’s everything we currently know about The Punisher: One Last Kill, including its release date, episodes, cast, and more.
The Punisher: One Last Kill: Release Date
The Punisher: One Last Kill is set to stream on May 12, 2026, on Disney+, arriving as a “Marvel Television Special Presentation.” Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and co-written by Jon Bernthal alongside Green, the special marks Bernthal’s return as Frank Castle following his appearance in Daredevil: Born Again, ahead of his return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The Punisher: One Last Kill: Cast
It wouldn’t be a Punisher story without Jon Bernthal leading the charge. The Punisher: One Last Kill brings him back as Frank Castle, the former Marine turned vigilante known as The Punisher. Alongside Bernthal, Jason R. Moore returns as Curtis Hoyle, a close friend of Castle and a former U.S. Navy SARC who, after losing part of his left leg in combat, now leads a therapy group for veterans.
Joining them are Mila Jaymes as Charli and Roe Rancell as Dennis, both new faces in Frank’s orbit, though details about their roles remain under wraps. Rounding out the ensemble is the expected appearance of Ma Gnucci, a well-known figure from the comics and one of the Punisher’s most infamous crime-family adversaries.
Here’s the current expected cast for The Punisher: One Last Kill:
- Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle / The Punisher
- Jason R. Moore as Curtis Hoyle
- Mila Jaymes as Charli
- Roe Rancell as Dennis
- Ma Gnucci
What Will The Punisher: One Last Kill Be About?
While there’s still a lot we don’t know about the plot, the newly released trailer suggests The Punisher: One Last Kill is shaping up to be a brutal, character-driven story rather than a standard vigilante mission. The official logline for The Punisher: One Last Kill reads, “As Frank Castle searches for meaning beyond revenge, an unexpected force pulls him back into the fight.” The upcoming special’s story will reportedly pick up after Frank Castle escapes Wilson Fisk’s underground prison, with his war on New York’s criminal underworld still far from over.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Bernthal described the project as a “visceral, psychologically complex, unforgiving, no-holds-barred version of Frank,” adding that the character at times even turns “his back to the audience.” He continued, “And nothing is easy and all violence has a cost, and we’re going to see that cost. I’m grateful that they’re letting me go to the places that I really want to go.”
The Punisher: One Last Kill will draw heavily from Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s The Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank, widely regarded as one of the defining takes on the character. In the comics, Frank returns to New York and takes on the Gnucci crime family, with the story swinging between brutal action and darkly absurd moments.
In a conversation with GamesRadar+, Bernthal spoke about the impact of Ennis’ writing, saying, “Ennis doesn’t apologize for Frank. He subverts the hero genre by being comfortable with the ugly and gray side of heroism, finding truth in the sordid dust of desperation and anger… That honesty was my north star when writing and producing Marvel Television’s upcoming Punisher special.”
He went on to add, “Ennis and Steve Dillon gave us a character with clarity of purpose and absolute commitment, someone who channels loss into action with brutal honesty. That ferocity and vulnerability is what makes Frank endure.” The Gnucci family is also expected to play a role in the MCU version, with Ma Gnucci reportedly appearing in live action for the first time.
Is There A Trailer for The Punisher: One Last Kill?
Yes, there is. Marvel recently dropped the first full trailer for The Punisher: One Last Kill, and it wastes no time reminding us exactly what version of Frank Castle we are dealing with. The trailer opens on a quieter, more fractured Frank, alone and visibly haunted by memories of his past, including painful flashes of his late family.
We also see him engulfed in fire and tearing through armed enemies with relentless force, before cutting to moments of hallucination and psychological breakdown that suggest this is not just another mission, but something far more personal. Jason R. Moore returns as Curtis Hoyle, appearing in hallucination-like sequences that force Frank to confront what he has become.
There is plenty of action too, and we see Frank in full Punisher mode, taking down enemies, moving through burning environments, and protecting civilians. The trailer ends with Frank fully suited up as the Punisher, raising his weapon and firing straight at the camera.
Are There Any Other Shows Like The Punisher: One Last Kill?
While you wait for The Punisher: One Last Kill, you can catch up on Jon Bernthal’s The Punisher series, available on Disney+ or Netflix depending on your region, which follows Frank Castle’s original run before his MCU return.
You can also check out Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 on Disney+, which connects directly to his recent appearance and sets up where his story is headed next. Outside of that, Daredevil (especially earlier seasons) is also worth checking out.
