Hey Frank, the first trailer for your Marvel TV Special, aka The Punisher: One Last Killhas been released – and well, it’s left me with more questions than answers.
Would you like to tell us a little more about your upcoming Disney+ Special presentation? No? I guess I’ll have to give my two cents on what it seems to tell us about its plot, supporting cast and more.
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Below, I’ve collected some of the most popular questions that Marvel fans have been asking since the above teaser, which came out yesterday (April 9) and came a few days after. One last kill‘s first clip was revealed. Then I’ll do my best to answer them – or at least offer my theories about the story beforehand The Punisher: One Last Kill‘s release on 12/13 May.
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Potential spoilers follow for The Punisher’s Special Presentation. Full spoilers also follow for his self-titled Netflix show and Daredevil: Born Again season 1, so proceed with extreme caution.
1. Is Curtis Hoyle dead in The Punisher: One Last Kill?
One of the biggest – if not the biggest — question on Marvel fans’ minds after the teaser’s release concerns Jason R. Moore’s Curtis Hoyle.
For those who may have forgotten: the former Navy SARC is not only a close friend of Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, but also someone who regularly assisted Castle on both seasons of The Punisher on Netflix. Yes, whether it was giving Castle free therapy—Hoyle became a counselor to other veterans suffering from PTSD after he lost a leg while on active duty—or feeding him intel, Hoyle was always someone Castle could count on.
That makes his likely death all the more heartbreaking. Hoyle was alive and well at the end of The Punisherbut based on One last killtrailer, it looks like he’s no more. That much is evident in the brief scenes we see of Castle hallucinating his fallen US Armed Forces comrades. With Hoyle among their number, it seems he’s been dead – or worse, murdered – in the time since we last saw him.
Will Castle find out about the passing of one of his best friends as part of One last kill‘s history? Or is this something that happened prior to e.g. his small supporting role in season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again?
If it’s the latter, it would explain why he was laying low when we were reunited with him in that Marvel Phase 6 TV show, especially if someone was gunning for Castle—and later his allies—seeking retribution for something Castle had done. Who could it be? Well…
2. Who tries to kill Frank Castle in The Punisher TV Special?
A significant portion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV Special’s first trailer is dedicated to Castle’s inner demons resurfacing and him struggling to deal with the mental toll they constantly place on him.
Around its midpoint, however, we see Castle standing in the largely empty room he rents in New York City as a trail of fuel, which has been poured and seeped under the door of said apartment, is set on fire. With his pants on, Castle roars before charging head first towards the front door of the apartment, presumably to attack whoever is trying to murder him.
So who is the culprit? We don’t know, but as I’ve speculated in my dedicated guide to The Punisher: One Last Killthe most likely candidate is Ma Gnucci.
For those who don’t know: Ma Gnucci — real name Isabella Carmela Magdalena Gnucci — is the head of, well, the Gnucci crime family. In the comics, the head of New York’s largest criminal enterprise has a long-standing vendetta with Castle that began when the latter killed her three sons.
What is the runtime of The Punisher: One Last Kill?
Marvel Studios has not definitively confirmed how long it will last, but industry insiders have claimed that it will last around 60 minutes. However, it is unclear if that is inclusive of its review of the end credits and potential post-credits scenes.
Will One last kill adapt this story and reveal that Bernthal’s anti-hero murdered Gnucci’s offspring, kick-starting a feud that has claimed lives on both sides? It wouldn’t surprise me, especially since Gnucci and Castle’s deadly battle begins in ‘Welcome Back, Frank,’ the 2011 graphic novel created by Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon and Jimmy Palmiotti.
That cartoon series is a clear inspiration for the Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF) i Daredevil: Born Again (NB: it’s called Punished Task Force in the source material), so there is already a connection between said graphic novel and Daredevil’s own MCU TV series.
Let’s not forget when Jon Bernthal lifted the veil One last kill‘s first poster on Instagram, it was accompanied by the caption “Welcome back Frank”. Coincidence? I don’t think so. So to me, it would make perfect sense if One Last Kill imagines the story told in ‘Welcome back, Frank’.
3. Where does The Punisher: One Last Kill sit in Marvel’s timeline?
The MCU timeline has confused plenty of fans in the wake of Avengers: Endgame — you can learn more about this in my Marvel movies in order guide — so it wouldn’t be a shock if some viewers weren’t sure where One last kill fits into said timeline.
My view is that it will probably take place around the same time as Daredevil: Born Again season 2. First, Bernthal’s Castle won’t be appearing in the aforementioned show’s final season, so it’s clear he’ll be doing his own thing instead of helping the titular vigilante take down New York’s autocratic, criminal mayor Wilson Fisk.
There is an even bigger track in it One last killhowever its trailer. At the 1:03 mark, we see Castle walking down a street as chaos erupts around him. Born again 2 Despite spoilers, if Fisk’s iron-fisted approach causes riots to break out in later episodes, it’s no wonder that The Punisher’s TV Special will ultimately be set by Born again season 2.
Alternatively, it could occur immediately after this season’s finale, which Born again showrunner Dario Scardapane has already confirmed that he will bring Mayor Fisk’s story to a close. Without a recognized mayor, New York can temporarily descend into anarchy, which would explain why Castle is surrounded by scenes of a chaotic nature.
4. How will One Last Kill set up Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
At this point, it is common knowledge that The Punisher will appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Indeed, after reports indicated that Bernthal’s castle would appear Spider-Man 4 June last year his appearance was confirmed in Brand new day‘s first trailer.
Of course, that begs the question: will The Punisher: One Last Kill direct influence Spider-Man 4‘s story—or at least Castle’s role in the case? I think it will. Aside from the fact that Spider-Man and The Punisher both live and operate in NYC, though, it’s hard to say why the latter would have a supporting role to play. I have my theories – you can read them in the guide One last kill which I linked to earlier – but until the Bernthal-led special presentation is released, I can’t fully answer this query.
For now, find out what we know so far about Spider-Man: Brand New Day. When you’re done, read my Brand new day cast and character guide to see who else will appear in the MCU movie.
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