Ever since Charlie Cox's Daredevil debuted alongside Jon Bernthal's Punisher in Netflix's 2015 series, the two characters have become inseparable in fans' minds. Yet Bernthal recently disclosed why he initially turned down the chance to reprise his role in Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again revival.
The Wolf of Wall Street star explained his hesitation stemmed from creative differences regarding Frank Castle's character direction when first approached for the project.
"Ultimately, their vision for Frank didn't align with mine," Bernthal told Entertainment Weekly. "What they proposed didn't resonate with the character's essence or satisfy fan expectations. It simply wasn't a direction I wanted to pursue, so I declined."
The actor's perspective shifted when Dario Scardapane—with whom he'd collaborated on The Punisher—took over as showrunner following extensive post-strike creative changes.
"They genuinely involved me in the creative process," Bernthal noted. "We delved deep into Frank's physical and psychological state, crafting a version that felt authentic."
Warning! The following contains Daredevil: Born Again spoilers.
