Since Paddy Considine’s news that he was no longer in the running to play Jigsaw in the upcoming Punisher sequel, there’s been some speculation as to who was getting the role. Considine was quite public with the news that he had been asked to read the script and consider the role, and then the invitation had been rescinded as Lionsgate danced a dance with their original pick for the role, who started to show interest. But who was that original pick? Well, now we know.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, villainous actor Dominic West (300) is in talks to play Jigsaw, the mobster assassin who gets his name from a confrontation with Frank Castle (aka The Punisher) that leaves his face so damaged doctors have to piece it together like a jigsaw puzzle. West is actually a pretty decent pick for the role although, again, he’s a slightly larger name than Ray Stevenson who has taken over the title role.
Apparently Jigsaw won’t be the only villain to face off with The Punisher in The Punisher: War Journal. Doug Hutchinson has been announced to play the role of Looney Bin Jim (LBJ), a lunatic on a rampage.
At the same time, The Punisher looks to be getting some help in the sequel from a source outside the Bulk & Skull rip-off neighbors of the first film. Comic-book character accomplice Microchip, who provides Castle with a lot of his weapons and technology, looks to be putting in an appearance in the sequel and apparently Wayne Knight (Seinfeld) is negotiating for the role. I like Knight, but including him in this movie may have just cost the film what little credibility West could bring to it. He’s just too comedic an actor for a franchise that barely escaped being a comedy with its first film.
