Chris Evans Retired Too Early: Jon Bernthal Returning as The Punisher is a Missed Chance to Explore the Dark Side of Captain America

Steve Rogers is gone, Chris Evans stepped out of the iconic role at the end of Endgame, and the mantle now belongs to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. However, The Punisher is back, and so is Jon Bernthal, set to return as the gory vigilante in Daredevil: Born Again.

Now officially part of the MCU canon, Born Again will bring back some fan-favorites, which includes Bernthal’s Castle as well. However, this timing, the fact that Rogers is no more showing off his vibranium shield, comes as a curse undisguised for the MCU, in the sense that the two characters share a profound relationship in the comics.

Exploring it, tracing the kind of choices The Punisher was seen making in the past, with Rogers’ influence on him, would have been an arc fans would have loved to see.

The Punisher idolizes Steve Rogers, like all of us!

Charlie Cox and Jon Bernthal in Daredevil season 2 | Netflix

Frank Castle’s reintroduction into the MCU through Daredevil: Born Again marks a pivotal moment for Marvel Studios. The series, set to debut on Disney+ in March 2025, brings the vigilante back into the fold as part of Phase 5. Known for his brutal sense of justice, Castle’s respect for Captain America in the comics has long shaped his character, presenting a moral juxtaposition that could add new layers to the MCU’s storytelling.

In the comics, Castle reveres Captain America as the ultimate soldier—a symbol of justice, strength, and unwavering moral conviction. This admiration, however, contrasts sharply with Castle’s own methods, which involve crossing ethical boundaries Steve Rogers would never breach. Bernthal’s reprisal of the Punisher could have been the perfect vehicle to question and expand upon Steve Rogers’ decisions during pivotal moments like Captain America: Civil War.

The Punisher returns at an inopportune time for this storyline

Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in The Punisher | Marvel Television

Captain America’s opposition to the Superhero Registration Act in Civil War served as a turning point in the MCU. Steve Rogers championed independence and moral integrity over bureaucratic control, inspiring both admiration and unintended consequences. For Frank Castle, Steve’s defiance could have validated his own war on crime, reinforcing his belief in following personal moral codes rather than societal laws.

In the comics, this admiration was poignantly highlighted during Castle’s attempt to wield Captain America’s shield after Steve’s death. This act symbolized Frank’s desire to merge his brutal methods with the ideals he believed Captain America represented.

Chris Evans as Captain America in the MCU | Credit: Marvel Studios

Of course, in the MCU, Rogers simply returned to his timeline, a poignant yet quiet end to a sprawling legacy. Further, Jon Bernthal’s The Punisher has created his own niche, independent of Captain America’s legacy.

He is a brutal, gory, violent man, who fights on the right team, and may already have strayed too far from the influence of a Chris Evans-type portrayal of Captain America. 

Still, it would have given the MCU a range of story tools, even if it would have required a comprehensive change in Rogers’ persona. But of course, Marvel could have multiversed the s**t out of this one too!