Jon Bernthal Would Remake This Classic Western With Taylor Sheridan

There's one hero with an iconic fate that Jon Bernthal would love to portray, although he'd want Taylor Sheridan's help to do it. The actor most recently seen reprising his role as Frank Castle, aka The Punisher (and the best version to date), has collaborated with Sheridan on three distinct projects in the writer/director's impressive career. He appeared in what's widely considered one of Sheridan's best works with the Denis Villeneuve-directed "Sicario," before following it up with "Wind River" starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen. This film marked Sheridan's first big-budget directorial endeavor, which he continued in 2021 with "Those Who Wish Me Dead," featuring Angelina Jolie, in which Bernthal also starred.

Speaking to Boss Hunting about their shared history, Bernthal praised Sheridan and the success that has resulted from their collaborations up to that point: "I'll be honest with you, I'll do anything with Taylor. I love Taylor. As a filmmaker, as a human being, as an artist, he's as solid as they get. I love the guy." Bernthal was also asked if there was a dream western he would consider remaking with Sheridan's creative input, and only one film came to mind. "Oh man... 'Shane.'" 

The classic western about a stranger wandering into town and helping to make the valley safe again seems perfect for Bernthal, but he's already given us his own version in a way — and it's an exceptionally violent one at that.

The odds of a "Shane" remake happening are slim, let alone under the supervision of Taylor Sheridan. That's not to say that Bernthal hasn't, in his own way, given us characters — flawed as they are — that echo Alan Ladd's legendary hero from the 1953 film. Frank Castle, at one point, was a lone former gunslinger who just wanted to be left alone in "The Punisher" before bad people pushed him the wrong way. The difference is that once Castle was let loose, he became a bloody tornado of rage and violence, whereas Shane was a far more level-headed hero whose dark past is only occasionally mentioned.

If Bernthal ever did take on the role, it would need to be a more subdued performance without the star's signature rage seen ripping through inmates in "Daredevil" or throwing forks at Bob Odenkirk in "The Bear." It might be tricky, but if Bernthal could find that kind of silent, wandering stranger, it would make for a great break from routine. That is, of course, if Taylor Sheridan is willing to take on such a daring venture. At this point in his career, the head of the "Yellowstone" universe and every upcoming spin-off he's creating has seemingly little space in his workload to retell a classic. Shane doesn't need to come back anyway; Sheridan has enough heroes of his own who are all on their own journeys instead.