Are Daredevil and the Punisher actually friends?
Cox ultimately agreed that Karen had more reason to feel slighted. As for Matt and Frank, he stopped short of calling them friends.
“Yeah, I think Deb is right,” Cox said. “Matt and Frank, I don’t know that they’d call each other friends. I think there’s a mutual understanding and respect, but they’re not mates.”
Asked to define the relationship, Cox settled on: “It’s complicated.”
That description fits nearly a decade of shared history. Jon Bernthal first appeared as Frank Castle in Daredevil Season 2 in 2016, immediately clashing with Matt over whether criminals should be punished, rehabilitated or simply shot. The two have repeatedly fought each other, worked together and saved lives while remaining fundamentally divided over Frank’s lethal methods.
Brand New Day marks Bernthal’s first appearance as the Punisher in a film after years of television projects, several of them connected to Cox’s Daredevil. His apparent bond with Peter Parker therefore carries some novelty. Unlike Matt, Peter may offer Frank a relationship with slightly less moral arguing, although expecting uncomplicated friendship from the Punisher remains optimistic.
Why Karen Page may have the better claim
Woll’s objection is not just convention-stage banter. Karen Page has long been one of Frank’s closest and most emotionally important connections, often defending his humanity even when his actions made that an exhausting position to maintain.
Their relationship was reinforced in the 2026 Marvel Special Presentation The Punisher: One Last Kill. While Frank contemplated suicide, he imagined Karen visiting him, placing her at the centre of one of his darkest moments. That makes his declaration about Peter feel less like a slight against Daredevil and more like conspicuous memory loss concerning Karen.
The line does not necessarily mean Frank values Peter more than everyone else. “Never had a friend like” leaves room for Peter to represent a different kind of connection, particularly after years of Frank surrounding himself with allies whose partnerships usually involve gunfire, distrust and legal complications.
Still, Woll’s reaction lands because Karen and Frank have repeatedly protected one another. Matt and Frank share respect but remain ideological opponents. Karen has often reached Frank in ways that Matt cannot, without needing to approve of what he does. If Marvel wanted fans to debate Castle’s friendship rankings, it has succeeded with admirable efficiency.
Will Jon Bernthal return in Born Again Season 3?
There has been no indication that Bernthal will appear in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3. The Punisher sat out the second season while Marvel gave him One Last Kill and a role in Brand New Day, leaving his immediate television future uncertain.
The third season itself is much further along. Showrunner Dario Scardapane announced on August 4 that filming had finished, writing: “THAT’S A WRAP on production for Season 3.”
Some reports have listed March 2027 as the premiere, while TV Guide described spring 2027 only as the likely release window. Marvel and Disney have not officially confirmed a date, so March should not yet be treated as immovable. Television schedules have rarely been known for their deep respect for certainty.
There is also no confirmation that Born Again will continue beyond Season 3. Concern increased after Disney+ reversed its renewal of the Emmy-nominated Wonder Man, despite preparations for a second season. Showrunner Andrew Guest said contracts had been signed, schedules cleared and production was expected to begin in early 2027. Co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton said Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige “loves that show as much as I do,” which apparently was not enough to protect it.
With Vision Quest already filmed and no other announced Marvel live-action series currently in production, Born Again’s long-term position remains unclear.
Brand New Day is already 2026’s biggest film
Whatever Frank Castle’s social difficulties, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is having no trouble attracting company at the box office.
The film opened on July 31 and earned $360 million domestically during its first weekend, narrowly passing the $357 million opening record previously held by Avengers: Endgame. It crossed $1 billion worldwide in seven days.
After 10 days, the Associated Press reported a worldwide total of $1.67 billion, made up of approximately $655 million in North America and $1.01 billion internationally. That performance pushed Brand New Day past Toy Story 5 to become the highest-grossing film of 2026 so far.
The scale of that success also explains why Marvel continues bringing its television characters into major theatrical releases. Bernthal’s film debut gives the Punisher a much larger stage, while his exchange with Peter creates questions for the relationships built during his television years.
Cox’s answer, however, keeps the distinction fairly simple. Matt Murdock and Frank Castle understand each other, occasionally respect each other and very definitely frustrate each other. Karen Page may be the person with the strongest claim to Frank’s friendship. Peter Parker is apparently something new.
Complicated, indeed.
