It’s been quite fascinating to watch the rise and fall of the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the past decade and a half. For a time, it seemed that the team of Marvel and Disney could do no wrong; Marvel Studios churned out hit after hit, but everything seemed to unravel after the release of “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019.

Even the release of new Marvel TV shows on Disney+ didn’t seem to slow the decline in quality for Marvel productions; if anything, it hastened it. Disney’s attempts to expand the MCU with TV series have run the gamut from “meh” to outright terrible, but “Daredevil: Born Again” has helped it to break out of that tailspin.

That’s why I’m so intrigued by the release of “The Punisher: One Last Kill” on Disney+ on Tuesday. The one-off special will bring Jon Bernthal back as Frank Castle, and centers on his being pulled back into the fight one last time, despite his journey to try and find some meaning in his life other than revenge.

Watch the trailer for ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’

I’ve always really enjoyed Bernthal’s take on the character. He has the gruff, steely exterior needed to play a hardened killer like Frank Castle, but the actor has always seemed to understand what truly motivates the character. Castle isn’t an “alpha male” type who causes violence and mayhem because it suits him; at heart, he’s a family man who doesn’t know how to process the grief of having the most important things in his life violently wrenched away from him.

Castle is a man who will make war to find peace, and it appears there’s plenty of war to be had in “One Last Kill.” The trailer is packed with the kind of action that drew fans to Bernthal’s portrayal of the character when he was introduced in the Netflix “Daredevil” series, and became the star of his own show soon after.

But I’m also eager to see Bernthal’s thoughtful approach to Castle return. If anything, the special appears poised to dive even more deeply into Frank’s tortured mind, and Bernthal himself has a writing credit. That may not bode well for the on-screen character, but it will give fans even more insight into how Bernthal interprets Castle’s actions and state of mind.

Viewers will be able to watch “The Punisher: One Last Kill” with any Disney+ plan. A word to the wise for cautious parents, however: this is one Marvel project that isn’t meant for younger kids, with plenty of brutal violence and heavy swearing involved, as the trailer makes clear. “The Punisher: One Last Kill” arrives on Disney+ on Tuesday, May 12.

The Punisher: One Last Kill

May 12, 2026

As Frank Castle searches for meaning beyond revenge, an unexpected force pulls him back into the fight.