The Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps the fandom on their collective toes, thanks to new releases hitting theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which will feature Jon Bernthal's Punisher in the character's first jump from TV to film. A rumor about the movie claimed that he's even getting a sidekick, and I really hope this could mean the return of a character from his Netflix series.
What we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day is super limited, but fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order are thrilled about the inclusion of Frank Castle/The Punisher. A rumor from scooper MTTSH (via SuperheroHype) made a bold prediction about the blockbuster, claiming:
In Spider-Man Brand New Day, Punisher has a female partner to help him track and kill criminals. They are now filming huge action scenes with the two of them chasing and trying to kill Spider-Man villains.
While I'm taking this with a grain of salt, reading this brought me immediately back to one character: Giorgia Whigham's Amy Bendix from The Punisher Season 2. She accidentally got herself involved with the drama surrounding Frank Castle, and the two managed to form a strong bond. With their business done they went separate ways, but wouldn't it be cool if Amy returned to support the vigilante antihero when he needs it?
Obviously we don't even know if the rumor about a sidekick will come to fruition just yet. And even if it is, bringing back Whigham as Amy might be a stretch. But we're only getting more connections to the Netflix shows in the MCU as years go by.
It's just an idea, but this would be a thrilling connection for fans who watched all of former Netflix MCU shows. Before Disney+ was established Netflix produced shows set in the shared universe: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher. We're getting more of these crossing over with current projects recently, thanks to projects like Daredevil: Born Again. Its first season included Punisher, and the second has already been confirmed to bring back Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones.
In The Punisher Season 2, Amy is a grifter who finds her crew murdered after taking on a particularly dangerous job. She runs into Frank Castle by accident, and the two end up taking a bloody journey of discovery, deception, and ultimately trust. They both survive the events of the season, and I assume they would have had more adventures if a third season happened.
Only time will tell if Frank Castle has an associate, and whether or not it's Amy. All will be revealed when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31st of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. For now, Bernthal's tenure in the MCU is streaming on Disney+.
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