- End of Daredevil: Born Again season one sets up Punisher special
- Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin had imprisoned The Punisher
- No release date given yet for the special
With the season finale for Daredevil: Born Again setting up the upcoming Punisher special, Vincent D’Onofrio has hinted at what Kingpin’s role will be in it.
The ninth and final episode in season one of Daredevil: Born Again provided many shocks and twists for the main characters and has set things up for the second season of the show, which is currently in production. But, in a post-credits scene, it has also set up the Punisher one-shot special.
Warning: Daredevil: Born Again season 1 spoilers ahead
Having been captured and caged by Wilson Fisk/Kingpin’s men earlier in the episode, things look bad for Frank Castle/The Punisher – played by Jon Bernthal. However, in the post-credits scene, we see the Punisher manipulate a guard to enable him to escape.
Kingpin and Punisher to face off?
Now in an interview with Variety, D’Onofrio has talked about Kingpin and Punisher’s future. He noted that the pair faced off in the original Daredevil series, which ran on Netflix for three seasons to 2019. “I’m sure it will happen again at some point,” said D’Onofrio. “I don’t know when, though.”
D’Onofrio added that he thought that Kingpin knew that Punisher had escaped – and that neither was scared of the other and what they could do. “So far it’s a small part of the second season. We have to see what the one-off thing they’re planning on doing with the Punisher, that should be interesting to see. I don’t know if it’s a “What If…?” film of if it’s connected to our series or not, but it’ll be interesting to see.”
When pushed on whether Kingpin will be appearing in the special, D’Onofrio simply said: “If there is, nobody’s told me.”
While that sounds definite that Kingpin will not be seen in the special, it should be remembered that MCU actors have a habit about being… economical with the truth when it comes to confirming (or denying) upcoming appearances in movies or series. Andrew Garfield set the standard with this, denying he was in Spider-Man: No Way Home before turning up in a major role. Other actors have since followed his template.
Upcoming one-shot
D’Onofrio’s comments add little to the already scant knowledge about what the special will be about.
It was revealed back in February that the Punisher special was happening but currently, Marvel and anyone connected to the project are keeping very quiet about what the plot will be or who will be appearing in it.
However, we do know that the special is being written by Bernthal and We Own The City director Reinaldo Marcus Green. It will air on Disney+ sometime before season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again does – as yet we don’t have a date for this.
