Will ‘Marvel’s The Punisher’ Get Canceled? Netflix Stars Talk Cancellation Rumors

Marvel fans can’t help but worry about the remaining two superhero shows on Netflix, “The Punisher” and “Jessica Jones.” After the streaming service canceled “Iron Fist,” “Luke Cage” and “Daredevil,” it seems like the sister shows are in danger. The cast and crew of “The Punisher” don’t seem to know much more than fans.

While promoting Season 2, which came out Friday, many actors and producers were asked if “The Punisher” will get a Season 3 or if they assume Netflix is axing it soon.

Jon Bernthal, who plays Frank Castle/The Punisher, told the Hollywood Reporter that he couldn’t waste time worrying about things outside of his control. However, if Season 2 is the end of “The Punisher,” he is proud of his work.

“It was an absolute honor to play him, and I know that there will be more Frank Castle one way or the other, and no matter what it is, everything that I’ve gotten to do so far, I’m eternally grateful for. I’m honored that I got to wear the vest,” he said.

Billy Russo actor Ben Barnes emphasized that the actors really aren’t given a heads up about such things. “The truth is we don’t know,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “I’ve been buddies with Charlie Cox for a long time. I binged the third season of ‘Daredevil’ and thought it was terrific, so it’s obviously got nothing to do with the quality of a show. I don’t know what it does have to do with... I will say I think there’s a satisfying conclusion to the season.”

Executive producer Steve Lightfoot, meanwhile, said that he wrote the end of Season 2 with the thought that he wanted audiences to be excited for “The Punisher” Season 3. However, that does not mean he knows that a renewal is coming.

“We were finished before any of [the cancellations] started happening. I left [Season 2] on that final shot that was just meant to [make people go], ‘Wow, I can’t wait to see Season 3’. That was it,” Lightfoot told Entertainment Weekly. “That was what I want them to take away, and it’s like any show — if you’ve been in this business long enough, we’ve all worked on shows that got canceled that you wish hadn’t. I just hope we made a great show.… My philosophy is always make every season like it could be your last. Don’t save anything for next season, even if that means you’ve painted yourself into a corner. But make every season the best it can be, and hopefully, it speaks for itself.”

Netflix has yet to give a real reason for canceling the Marvel shows. That’s likely because it’s a complex issue. The Marvel/Netflix shows are also reportedly very expensive and losing viewers, which is probably the driving force behind the cancellations. Also, Disney, which owns Marvel, is launching a streaming service called Disney+ to compete with Netflix soon.