Jon Bernthal, who played Shane on seasons one and two of The Walking Dead, has been cast at the Punisher in the next season of Netflix's Daredevil.
The Punisher, one of the most popular characters in the Marvel universe, will show up in the second season of Daredevil. Marvel's Head of Television, Jeph Loeb, sang Bernthal's praises in a statement: "Jon Bernthal brings an unmatched intensity to every role he takes on, with a potent blend of power, motivation and vulnerability that will connect with audiences [...] [The Punisher's] appearance will bring dramatic changes to the world of Matt Murdock and nothing will be the same.”
The casting call makes a lot of sense when you consider Shane and the Punisher's characters—both are sort of morally ambiguous dudes who go to lethal lengths to avenge or protect their loved ones. Shane strives to protect his best friend's wife (whom he's obsessed with) and child, and the Punisher becomes a vigilante after his own wife and child are killed. The character profiles have a lot of similarities, even though the franchise are extremely different. If you liked Bernthal in The Walking Deading, you'll probably love him in the already popular Daredevil series.
Bernthal has been on a roll since his time on The Walking Dead, landing roles in big-time movies like The Wolf of Wall Street, Fury, and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.
[via Marvel]
