It wouldn't take much prodding to get comic book fans and Netflix subscribers to exude enthusiasm for The Punisher's upcoming standalone series, as people have clamored for it since even before Jon Bernthal was first cast for Daredevil Season 2. But what about genre-friendly Hollywood vet Gale Anne Hurd, who produced both of the most recent Punisher features? When CinemaBlend spoke with the mega-producer about the upcoming Amazon docudrama series Lore, I asked if she was interested in watching Marvel's streaming spinoff, and here's what she told me.
Obviously, yes, and I don't think they could have found a better Frank Castle than Jon Bernthal. I am as eager to see that show as anyone, as a fan of his, and obviously as a fan of the character.
Well, there you have it, everybody! Even though she hasn't been privy to viewings of any of the upcoming Punisher episodes, Gale Anne Hurd can be counted among those of us that are eagerly waiting for the still unrevealed release date. It's probably no surprise to hear that Hurd got audibly excited when the subject of The Punisher came, since she and former Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad were the major producers for the 2004 film starring Thomas Jane, and she later took on the same duties for 2008's Punisher: War Zone, with Ray Stevenson as the rugged vigilante. Plus, Frank Castle is one of the darkest and most terror-striking characters in the Marvel-verse, so it's easy to see why Hurd remains a fan of the anti-hero.
And that's just the gun-toting character himself. Gale Anne Hurd is also quite fond of the actor portraying Frank Castle this go around, considering they worked together on The Walking Dead, where Jon Bernthal played the moral-squandering Shane Walsh for just under two seasons. That high-profile role definitely put Bernthal on a lot more people's radars, and he's since been busy on both the big and the small screen, with The Punisher potentially being his biggest gig yet. I mean, it's hard to top The Walking Dead in terms of sheer popularity, especially when Netflix isn't very open about its viewership totals. But everybody has been waiting for The Punisher, with each new trailer and image getting fans more and more antsy, so it has the potential to be Marvel's biggest streaming show yet.
Though we might not know when The Punisher will be showing audiences what stories the show will actually tell, we know when we can find the fruits of Gale Anne Hurd's most recent executive producer labors. Podcaster Aaron Mahnke's Lore will make its debut on October 13, where it will give viewers a chance to see some of the dark and depraved origin tales that led to genre tropes like vampires, mad scientists and poltergeists. It's the rare project that pairs Hurd's adoration of spooky things with her love of true stories, and it'll definitely chill some viewers to the bone. (Though if anyone knows something about bones, whether it's breaking them or wearing them on his shirt, it's The Punisher.)
Because Netflix is keeping things close to its metaphorical vest, we still don't really know when The Punisher is going to be released, but stay tuned for a review and release date soon. Meanwhile, Lore will make its streaming debut on Amazon on Friday, October 13, at 12:01 a.m. PT. To see when other shows will be premiering in the near future, our fall TV schedule is all you need, although our 2017 Netflix schedule can also clue you in on movies and documentaries hitting the streaming service.
