2026’s The Punisher Reboot Now Has a Runtime (But There’s a Catch)

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Fans are getting a new look at the Punisher, but it’s not a full series just yet. Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as Frank Castle, having recently returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Daredevil: Born Again. After appearing briefly in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the Punisher will star in a special presentation on Disney+, similar to the Werewolf by Night special from 2022.

The Writers Guild of America website briefly listed a runtime of 60 minutes (1 hour) for the upcoming Punisher Disney+ special. This initially suggested it would be the longest special in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far, but there’s a problem with that information.

Marvel Studios’ Werewolf by Night, their first standalone special for Disney+, is listed as being 60 minutes long on the Writers Guild of America website. However, the actual runtime is closer to 55 minutes, with the credits bringing the total to just over 48 minutes.

Disney+’s Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, like other Marvel Special Presentations, doesn’t have a listed length in the WGA directory. However, the special runs about 45 minutes long, including credits, or 39 minutes without them.

It appears the Writers Guild of America’s listed runtime of 60 minutes for the Punisher’s special is just an approximation. The actual length will probably be similar to a typical episode of a Marvel live-action series – around an hour, but likely a bit shorter.

Reinaldo Marcus Green, the director of King Richard, is also directing a special presentation featuring the Punisher. He wrote the script with Jon Bernthal, who will reprise his role. Marvel Studios is planning to release this Punisher special on Disney+ around the same time as Spider-Man 4 in July, potentially setting up Frank Castle’s first major appearance in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.

Why Fans Shouldn’t Worry About The Punisher’s Special Runtime

This special presentation marks the first time we’ve seen a standalone Punisher story in over seven years, following the conclusion of the Netflix series. Fans are excited to see Jon Bernthal return to his violent fight against crime, but it’s likely the special will be around 50 minutes long, not including the credits.

I know some people were wondering if a runtime of under an hour could really do justice to the Punisher’s world and tell a story worthy of the character. But honestly, Werewolf by Night proved it could work in just 45 minutes, and it had a much bigger challenge than a Punisher story – it had to build a whole new supernatural world and introduce us to a brand new cast of characters, which it did really well!

A new Disney+ special will likely reveal why the Punisher won’t be in the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, detailing what Frank Castle has been up to and how he’ll fit into the Spider-Man: Brand New Day storyline. While specific plot points are secret, it’s expected that the Punisher will clash with mob boss Ma Gnucci.

While fans are currently only getting one Punisher project, if it does well on Disney+ and builds on the character’s popularity from the upcoming Spider-Man 4 movie, Marvel Studios could potentially create a full series or an action-packed movie similar to John Wick.

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2026-03-20 18:35