Thomas Jane has decided that his time as Frank Castle in 2004’s The Punisher wasn’t quite the heroic crown jewel some fans (like me) still believe it is. It was needlessly savage, like a grindhouse flick with a Marvel logo taped on. What wasn’t to like?
Back in 2004, critics didn’t share that enthusiasm, however. The box office shrugged. And now Jane’s saying he never should’ve been there in the first place.
While promoting his new movie, Frontier Crucible, he shut down the idea of returning as Castle. And his explanation was pretty blunt.
“I was miscast as Frank Castle. He’s an Italian. He’s got black hair and a whole different sort of lineage… I’m not that guy,” he said. “I had to dye my hair black and become a different guy.” Wow, that’s one way to look at it.
Jane even doubled down. “I’m happy the part is now 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.”
The “someone” he’s talking about is clearly Jon Bernthal, who grabbed the role in 2016 for Marvel’s Daredevil Season 2 and instantly became the fan-approved version of the character. Before Bernthal, Dolph Lundgren debuted the character in 1989 and Ray Stevenson followed in 2008, but neither of them left a big mark with audiences either.
Funny thing though: Jane’s 2004 entry is actually the most financially successful Punisher movie to date. It didn’t need sky beams or quippy heroes. It leaned into the grimness.
Jonathan Hensleigh made his directorial debut with that film, after penning explosive blockbusters like Armageddon, Die Hard With A Vengeance, and Jumanji. Later, he’d steer Liam Neeson across icy roads and box-office success with The Ice Road.
Jane’s affection for the character didn’t disappear just because he’s stepping away. “I was very passionate about it. I did a short film called ‘Dirty Laundry’ that I produced and put together,” he said. “I’m a big comic book fan.”
He has a new graphic novel titled The Lucan hitting shelves next month. Frontier Crucible drops in cinemas and digital next Friday.
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