Well, Marvel fans, The Punisher finally got a release date on Netflix, despite it seeming like we might have to wait longer for the anti-hero's first standalone venture on the small screen, given recent real-world tragedies. But the streaming giant locked down exactly when we'll get to lay our eyes on the brutal drama, and it seems to be directly challenging comic book entertainment rival DC Comics. The Punisher Season 1 will be released on Friday, November 17, which is the same weekend that the superhero team-up flick Justice League will hit the big screen. Well played, Marvel and Netflix.
Anybody reading this story undoubtedly knows that there's a point of (largely arbitrary) contention between live-action Marvel and DC projects, and so it's hard to consider The Punisher's November 17 release date as anything but Netflix poking the DC bear with a sledgehammer. After all, Justice League is one of the most highly anticipated comic book movies of the year, of the decade, and of the century. So to debut one of Marvel TV's most hotly sought-after shows on the exact same day is as wild a move as Netflix has made yet with any of its programming. It also makes us ponder what THAT crossover would look like, though we can't see Frank Castle being very accepting of Aquaman's glee.
While a TV show's debut normally wouldn't have much of an effect on a blockbuster film's release, especially when it happens on a Friday, that's not necessarily the case with The Punisher and Justice League. Considering Netflix will be putting all 13 episodes of The Punisher out at once, rabid fans will likely burn through them in that first weekend, which legitimately might not leave any time to pop out to the theater for a Justice League screening until the next week or something.
Conversely, fans who want to see Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and more all teaming up together will likely push back their Punisher viewings until later. (And given how superhero films often get a lot of repeat customers, some people might hit the theaters more than once in that first weekend.) Whichever way it goes -- and we likely won't know any specifics about how it goes, given Netflix's reticence about unveiling its viewership data -- we're interested to see how the two mega-projects do when going head-to-head on that weekend.
The release date was announced in one of the best ways possible, too, as it came at the end of a brand new Punisher trailer that is sure to get fans blood flowing. (In a good way, though, as opposed to how Frank Castle's enemies' blood flows.) You can check out the emotionally wrought badassery below!
So remember to set your loudest alarms for Friday, November 17, at 12:01 a.m. PT, as that's when The Punisher will smash everyone's lives up on Netflix with Season 1. And, of course, future Justice League audience members can buy their tickets for screenings that will also start up on Friday, November 17. Anyone needing to know when everything else is hitting the streaming service and the small screen soon, head to our 2017 Netflix schedule and our fall TV premiere schedule.
