Marvel is preparing a large-scale continuation of the Punisher story with Jon Bernthal

Marvel may be plotting a much bigger expansion of Punisher lore. A new report suggests the character's next chapter will skip the one-off special format entirely. According to insiders, a follow-up to the Disney+ special starring Jon Bernthal is already being discussed at the studio, though the final shape of the project hasn't been locked down yet.

Multiple insiders, including Daniel Richtman, say Marvel bosses are debating whether the sequel to The Punisher: One Last Kill should take the form of a series or a full movie. If that pans out, it would mark a significant jump in scale compared to the character's last solo outing, which ran under an hour as a standalone special.

The original special found Frank Castle searching for meaning beyond revenge, only for unexpected circumstances to drag him back into conflict and violence on the streets. Some viewers criticized Marvel for retelling a familiar story yet again, but still praised Bernthal's take on the Punisher and his appearance in Spider-Man.

The Marvel Television Special Presentation format was originally meant to be a short, standalone project, continuing the studio's tradition of earlier one-shots. But this new report suggests Marvel now sees far more potential in Castle's story than a single special can contain. A full series would give the character room to build out a supporting cast and long-term storylines, bringing the format closer to his earlier Netflix show.

A feature film, on the other hand, would raise Frank Castle's profile within the main MCU timeline.

Either path would mark a notable shift for a character Marvel has kept in a self-contained corner of its universe until now. Bernthal's Punisher has been steadily climbing back toward MCU relevance – he played a key role in the ending of the Daredevil seasons and showed up in Spider-Man: Brand New Day for more than just a quick cameo.

Bernthal, who co-wrote and executive produced the special alongside director Reinaldo Marcus Green, hasn't publicly commented on the rumors. Neither have Marvel representatives.