Does Marvel Studios Have The Guts To Explore The Punisher's Most Fascinating Character Trait?

There are plenty of "Punisher" stories that are perfect for a spotlight in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but we shouldn't get our hopes up about seeing them onscreen. Jon Bernthal's eponymous vigilante, Frank Castle, will return in a "Punisher" one-shot presentation, and then ... who knows what the future holds? That said, if Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and co. really want to spice things up, they should turn to Mark Millar and Steve McNiven's "Civil War" event comic for inspiration — specifically, the storyline about Castle idolizing Captain America.

In the "Civil War" comics, Castle expresses his respect for Steve Rogers and is accepted into his faction to take on the corrupt government — on the condition that he stops killing people (pfft). Obviously, that plan falls by the wayside because the Punisher and killing people is like spaghetti and meatballs. This development results in Cap beating down his trigger-happy ally in "Civil War" #6, but Castle refuses to fight back against the hero who clocked Adolf right on the kisser.

Captain America and the Punisher can be viewed as different sides of the same coin. Cap, a World War II veteran, represents the idealized version of soldiers — heroic, idealistic, the American way, etc. Castle, meanwhile, returns from Vietnam a broken man and is subsequently shunned by the acceptable corners of society. In "Civil War," Spider-Man even refers to them as "same guy, different war," raising some interesting questions about the nuanced nature of heroism and how society has perceived soldiers throughout the years.

This is an interesting dichotomy that could inform a bold, intriguing storyline in the MCU. At the same time, Castle vs. Cap might be a subject the folks at Marvel Studios want to avoid portraying onscreen, for obvious reasons.

If Marvel Studios pressed ahead with a Captain America and The Punisher storyline, Frank Castle would be probably the villain of the piece. After all, the MCU's version of Cap is as noble as they come, whereas Punisher is more than happy to dance with his enemies in a bullet ballet. Still, putting the pair against each other, or highlighting how a bloodthirsty vigilante looks up to the world's most clean-cut American hero, is a thread worth exploring. The only downside is that it comes with controversial real-life implications.

The Punisher is a harbinger of justice, but he has always been distrustful of the system, government, and cops. Despite this, the character's skull symbol has been co-opted by real-life soldiers, cops, and fringe political movements, creating a misconception that the character is pro-police, government, military, etc. The Punisher character's original creator, Gerry Conway, has rejected these socio-political associations. Meanwhile, Marvel's "Daredevil: Born Again" season 1 addresses Punisher's real-world controversies by having him reject law enforcement officers. However, it's impossible to control how people interpret and symbolize Castle in the real world, no matter how hard Marvel fights back.

Still, Marvel Studios hasn't ignored the Punisher's polarizing reputation beyond the world of entertainment. What's more, movies like "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "Civil War" have engaged with heady political ideas of the conspiratorial variety. Be that as it may, exploring Castle's complex relationship with Cap — a true patriotic hero — might be too political for the MCU, as the real-life implications risk broadening Castle's appeal among the groups he's supposed to oppose. But thought-provoking storylines are crucial for Castle's long-term success on the screen, and who doesn't want to see him cross paths with Cap?