A special presentation premiering after four years—could it signal a revival? 'The Punisher: One Last Kill'

Marvel has clearly sharpened its blade. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which struggled for a long stretch from Phase 4 through the lead-up to Phase 5, announced that, taking 〈The Marvels〉 as a pivot point, it would take a short pause to reevaluate its overall planning. By cutting back on the number of projects and reorganizing its slate, Marvel has been gradually finding upward momentum, and a special presentation has premiered to give that trend another push. That project is 〈The Punisher: One Last Kill〉, which premiered exclusively on Disney+ on May 13. This mid-length special is part of the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney+ Special Presentation' series exclusive to Disney+: the Special Presentation denotes spin-off mid-length specials that unpack MCU events in roughly an hour. In 2022, 〈Werewolf by Night〉 and 〈Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special〉 were released, after which it seemed there would be a rather long pause. But with a new Punisher-led project finally arriving, we have another opportunity to look at a fresh side of the MCU. Here’s an introduction to 〈The Punisher: One Last Kill〉, which was released in Korea on May 13 and has been receiving quite a positive response.

Who Is the Punisher

Audiences who only followed the MCU films might have wondered who the man was in 〈Spider-Man: Brand New Day〉 who was silenced after what seemed like a cordial exchange with Spider-Man. That character is the Punisher. True to his hero name, 'Punisher,' he is known for mercilessly exacting punishment on criminals. His one iron rule is simple: condemn those who have committed evil to death. Because of that, he is frequently referred to as an anti-hero or dark hero. MCU's Punisher is no different; when he first appeared in the series 〈Daredevil〉, he clashed with Daredevil’s Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox). But he is not portrayed as a simple killer—there is a brutal backstory: his family was horrifically killed by a crime syndicate. Because of that tragic origin, whether in the original comics or other media, he became a lone wolf who often clashes with other heroes, yet his unwavering will to punish evil has made him a beloved, not despised, character.

After appearing in 〈Daredevil〉, the MCU's Punisher returned to audiences in 〈The Punisher〉 seasons 1 and 2. However, when Walt Disney Company, Marvel Studio’s parent company, launched Disney+ and began operating its own streaming platform, the partnership with Netflix ended and he didn’t appear for a while. Later, Disney+ and Marvel brought the Netflix-era shows into the MCU with 〈Daredevil: Born Again〉, allowing the Punisher to return to the MCU as well.

Me, Jon Bernthal, the Punisher

Continuing from 〈Daredevil: Born Again〉 season 2, 〈The Punisher: One Last Kill〉 depicts what happens when the Punisher is pursued by the boss of the criminal organization he wiped out. This mid-length special serves as an introduction to the Punisher prior to 〈Spider-Man: Brand New Day〉 and also offers a glimpse of the passion Jon Bernthal brings to the role—because Bernthal himself participated in the writing. After being cast as the Punisher, Bernthal dove into the original comics (it’s said that whenever he visited a shop, the owner or staff would always recommend something he should read) and, having perfectly embodied a soldier haunted by PTSD and driven by revenge, he joined this project as both a writer and executive producer, fortifying the MCU’s Punisher. The mid-length special's director, Reynaldo Marcus Green, who has focused more on dramas than on genre films—directing works such as 〈King Richard〉 and 〈Bob Marley: One Love〉—had already collaborated with Bernthal on the 2022 project 〈We Own This City〉, making them an ideal pair to get the best out of each other.

At 51 minutes, 〈The Punisher: One Last Kill〉 fires an early salvo that could signal the MCU's revival. Many franchises have suffered from misreading source material or character breakdowns, but it seems Marvel has regrouped and captured what makes the Punisher beloved—the 'badass' quality—in this work. Although it's too soon to say if this well-received 〈The Punisher: One Last Kill〉 will truly be the herald of a full-scale resurgence, it certainly raises expectations for the Punisher’s role in 〈Spider-Man: Brand New Day〉.