Over the years, fans have seen a multitude of beloved Marvel Comics characters make the jump to the big screen, and in some cases, we’ve seen multiple versions appear along the way. While the MCU brought a new era of popularity to Marvel’s characters, there were many characters that made splashes in both film and TV well before then as well, and 21 years after making his Marvel debut, one fan favorite actor admits he was all wrong for the part despite the fact that he still loves the character.
Before Jon Bernthal debuted as The Punisher during Marvel’s Netflix era, there were several actors who stepped into the boots of Frank Castle. In 2004, the role was portrayed by Thomas Jane, who had actually played the role of Castle previously in a short film titled Dirty Laundry. In an interview with ComicBookMovie for his new film Frontier Crucible on Apple TV, Jane was asked if he would want to return as Frank, and that’s when he revealed he was miscast as the character.
When initially asked about being open to returning as the character, Jane said, “I was very passionate about it. I did a short film called ‘Dirty Laundry‘ that I produced and put together. I had a blast, and I’m so grateful to have been inducted into the world. I’m a big comic book fan.”
“I was miscast as Frank Castle. He’s an Italian. He’s got black hair and a whole different sort of lineage. He was born in the 70s, as the antithesis of the Italian mob. They had taken over the world briefly, and The Godfather came out of it, too. Frank was the answer to that. Francis Castiglione. I’m not that guy. I had to dye my hair black and become a different guy,” Jane said.
Jane added that he’s glad there’s someone who is perfect for the role now playing the part of The Punisher these days. “I’m happy the part is played by someone who is more right for that role. I had fun, and I did the best I could with it. I’m very grateful for it, but I’m not that guy,” Jane said.
The Punisher was first played by Dolph Lundgren in 1989, and then after Jane’s portrayal in 2004, the character was played in 2008 by Ray Wilkinson in Punisher: War Zone. The character would gain a foothold as part of Daredevil season 2 when Bernthal took over the role, and he has gone on to have his own show and subsequently return in Daredevil as part of the MCU in Born Again. Rumors also are that he will return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day as well.
As for Jane, while The Punisher didn’t work out, Jane still loves the world of comics and has even written a comic series titled The Lycan. “My graphic novel is just being completed with Comixology. It’s called The Lycan. It’s, obviously, a werewolf book about a gang of big game hunters in the late 1700s,” Jane said. “They get shipwrecked on an island that has a bit of a wolf problem. Mike Carey wrote the script. I’m really proud of The Lycan. We’re putting the finishing touches on issue six right now. That’ll be out in December, and then we’ll get the graphic novel out next year. You can check it out on Kindle.”
Frontier Crucible hits theaters and digital platforms on December 5th, 2025.
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