When Daredevil Season 2 hits Netflix next week, it’ll be our long-anticipated first look at The Punisher on the small screen in live-action, as Jon Bernthal is set to bring Frank Castle’s bullet-launching brand of justice to Hell’s Kitchen. But it turns out it wasn’t the Man Without Fear, but rather future Spider-Man Tom Holland that helped Bernthal on his mission to play the violent vigilante. Both Bernthal and Holland were filming the period drama Pilgrimage in Ireland, and here’s what the actors did in their spare time, according to the former Walking Dead star:
We were making tapes from Ireland in the process of getting him cast in Spider-Man and then he and I made a tape for The Punisher. During this independent movie that we did in Ireland we were constantly making tapes for Marvel — just acting together. These tapes definitely do exist, you can call Marvel and ask for it, but that’s like breaking into Fort Knox.
How ridiculous is that? I mean, I know that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is gigantic at this point, and that the number of actors involved is constantly growing, but who’d have thought that the guys that ended up playing two of the biggest fan-favorite comic characters would be knocking about and making audition tapes together while filming a thriller set in 13th century Ireland? It isn’t the most interesting comic book story, but it’s the perfect piece of trivia that will no doubt make for some fertile Marvel-inspired meme-making once both Pilgrimage, Daredevil and Captain America: Civil War have been released.
As well, those audition tapes are just begging to be released to the public, even if it means having to wait for a Blu-ray extra. Let me get a good look at what Jon Bernthal brings to The Punisher, and how well Tom Holland handles Spidey, and then show me the tiny performance seedlings that started it all, so I can make a grandfatherly remark on how they were just babies back then.
Bernthal didn’t mention to New York Daily News whether or not he performed as Frank Castle on Holland’s audition tape, and vice versa, but it’s not unhealthy to hope that happened, right? It’s a crossover pairing that we’re not likely to get anytime soon, especially if nothing happens regarding the rumored stand-alone Punisher series. Well, maybe that would have to happen for Bernthal up to take over the Movie Punisher mantle…
Thankfully, we don’t have that much longer to wait to see both of these actors playing their respective comic book characters. Holland, who got some behind-the-scenes help from Chris Hemsworth in landing his own role, will debut his web-slinging skills when Captain America: Civil War is released on Friday, May 6. Daredevil Season 2 premieres on Netflix on Friday, March 18. And Pilgrimage is set to be released at some point in 2016.
