Concerns that Spider-Man: Brand New Day might soften the Punisher’s edge have reached Tom Holland, but the star insists the film’s take on Frank Castle will stay true to form. Speaking with Empire, Holland addressed worries that the Marvel Cinematic Universe installment would dial back the antihero’s trademark brutality. He confirmed that alongside Jon Bernthal, who plays the Punisher, and director Destin Daniel Cretton, the team made a concerted effort to honor one of Marvel’s most violent figures.
Holland acknowledged the skepticism outright. “I know that there are concerns about taking a sort of R-rated character and putting him into one of these movies,” he said, “but the way that we’ve designed the world around him feels very authentic to the Frank Castle we know.”
The Frank Castle that Holland referenced first appeared when Bernthal debuted the role in Daredevil Season 2 back in 2016. Audiences have since embraced his visceral portrayal, one defined by leaving enemies in bloody heaps across two seasons of his own series, a season of Daredevil: Born Again, and the recent Disney+ special The Punisher: One Last Kill. This version of the character regularly ends up coated in the remains of anyone who crosses him, even as the broader MCU tends to steer toward more family-oriented storytelling. Cretton recognized that tension, yet it appears the Spider-Man: Brand New Day crew devised methods to preserve Castle’s essence without diluting it.
Holland hinted at their approach. “There are fun ways to get around the fact that he swears all the time and kills people,” he teased.
Details about Frank Castle’s actual role in Spider-Man’s latest chapter remain scarce, though the footage released so far offers some clues. Trailers have confirmed his presence, showing him at the wheel of an armored truck barreling down a crowded New York City street before knocking Peter Parker off the hood with a blast. Another clip captures him getting his mouth webbed shut, followed by an F-bomb. These moments suggest Castle operates as an antagonistic force rather than an ally, with his methods clashing against Spider-Man’s more restrained approach to heroism.
Bernthal offered his own perspective on where his character stands heading into this appearance. He told Empire that his Frank Castle is “perfectly at peace in a world of darkness.” That outlook makes clear he will not be integrating into Peter’s social circle, even if he harbors some regard for the web-slinger.
“He’s not looking for a buddy, he’s not looking for a friend, he’s not looking for a hand to pull him out of the hole that he’s in. He’s fine living in there. In fact, all he wants to do is dig deeper.”
Holland’s recent comments about setting up the next chapter for Miles Morales suggest the actor is thinking broadly about Spider-Man’s future in the MCU. The franchise has increasingly experimented with darker storylines across various properties, which may help create space for characters like the Punisher to operate with their edges intact.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in theaters July 31, 2026. A poster released earlier this month offered a clearer view of the new Spidey suit.
