The MCU’s Punisher Just Went Full John Wick

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Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Punisher: One Last Kill

Fans were thrilled to hear Jon Bernthal would reprise his role as the Punisher after being absent from season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, and his new Marvel appearance shares some interesting similarities with the character John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves.

In Punisher: One Last Kill, Frank Castle reaches a critical moment in his story, making it one of the most intense projects in the MCU so far. Having eliminated those responsible for his family’s deaths, Frank now faces retribution from Ma Gnucci, who wants revenge for the murder of her husband and sons.

Now that Ma Gnucci has put a price on Frank Castle’s head, The Punisher is being hunted by every criminal in Little Sicily. This situation is reminiscent of the plot in the John Wick films, but there are also many intriguing, more obvious similarities between the two characters, especially as The Punisher begins a new chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe following the events of One Last Kill.

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The Punisher’s Legend In The MCU Now Shares A Major Connection With John Wick

A key reason Keanu Reeves’ John Wick quickly became an action movie icon is the incredible backstory surrounding his character. In the first John Wick film, it’s said he once killed someone with just a pencil. This shocking feat is later shown in John Wick: Chapter 2, cementing his terrifying reputation as “Baba Yaga.”

It’s fascinating to see Frank Castle, like John Wick, become a target with a bounty on his head in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Instead of pursuing Ma Gnucci, Frank focuses on protecting an innocent family while battling the criminals after him. During a fierce fight in a café, a massive attacker manages to stab Frank with a screwdriver. In a brutal response, Frank grabs a blue pen and relentlessly stabs the attacker multiple times in the arms, chest, and face.

This is easily one of the most violent and shocking kills ever shown in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film or series—it even brings to mind scenes from John Wick. Because of this, The Punisher’s reputation is sure to become even more intimidating after his latest act, One Last Kill. The way he used a pen to eliminate his target is just one example of the fear he’ll now inspire in New York’s criminal underworld, particularly since Frank Castle is now focused on more than just personal revenge.

Punisher: One Last Kill Even Sees Frank Getting Vengeance For A Murdered Dog

The connections to the John Wick movies go beyond just using everyday objects as weapons. Like the event that started the whole John Wick series, One Last Kill also begins with a senseless act of cruelty: an elderly man’s dog is killed. But at the end of the story, Frank Castle fulfills the man’s wish for revenge, killing the person responsible and bringing closure to his tragic loss.

It’s hard not to notice the similarities to the John Wick movies. In John Wick, the death of a dog brought the main character out of retirement, as the dog was a last connection to his late wife. While Frank Castle’s situation in One Last Kill is different, the idea is similar. Both characters are incredibly violent people who have lost everything they care about and are now focused on getting revenge or achieving justice, no matter how extreme.

It will be really interesting to see what happens with the Punisher and his new role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’ll get a glimpse later this year in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and fans are hoping he’ll appear in future projects as well.

The Punisher: One Last Kill is now streaming on Disney+ from Marvel Studios.

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2026-05-14 05:09