Just when fans thought Marvel and Netflix were done playing coy about "The Punisher," a new promo teaser that is equal parts horrifying and thrilling has arrived.
Following the official series trailer after a long-winded marketing campaign that banked on mystery, some fans may have believed that the studios would be more forthcoming with their promotions, but of course, that is not how Marvel and Netflix are playing it.
The latest promo teaser for "The Punisher" was on Instagram Stories, which means it was only viewable for 24 hours. Luckily, fans were able to quickly archive the videos, which showed a dazed Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) wandering around with memories flashing over him.
What is striking about this promo is that it diverts from how superheroes are usually presented. The Punisher is not strong, mighty or epic in the teaser; he is confused and traumatized.
Critics have now begun raising the question of whether or not the series will be portraying trauma properly. As one critic pointed out, the teaser is seemingly in sync with how Bernthal described Castle's character arc:
"The show takes you on this journey of Frank becoming more and more human again and then shutting off and shutting off and going back to what works for him and the place where he kind of belongs," Bernthal told Entertainment Weekly. "I think that's a place of solitude and of darkness and destruction."
According to the actor, the series will deal with the central question of "What do you do when [a mission is] over? What do you find out about yourself when you realize there's nothing left?"
"The Punisher" is a spin-off series from another Marvel and Netflix tie-in, "Daredevil." The series follows Castle as he doles out vigilante justice after being disillusioned from his previous post in the military.
"The Punisher" premieres on Netflix this 2017.
