Why Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Announcement Has Fans Thinking Another Marvel Netflix Star Will Appear

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always releasing new content, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. While all eyes are on upcoming Marvel movies like The Avengers, there's also some thrilling projects heading to the small screen. We just got the poster and official release date for the streaming event The Punisher: One Last Kill, and now fans think that another Netflix Marvel character will be joining Jon Bernthal for the mysterious project.

It's a great time to be a Punisher fan, as he appeared in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer and will also be getting a special event One Last Kill on May 12th ahead of pivoting to the big screen. Jon Bernthal recently shared that event's poster and release date, you check it out below:

Honestly, sign me up. While we don't know much about that The Punisher: One Last Kill will entail, the fact that Bernthal is taking center stage years after The Punisher Season 2's 2019 release is a thrilling concept. But could more characters from Netflix's Marvel shows also pop up?

It certainly seems possible, but who could join Frank Castle on his next solo adventure? Fans have on idea: Elodie Yung's Elektra, who previously appeared in both Daredevil and The Defenders. The chatter began when she commented on Bernthal's Instagram post with the following:

While this comment might be innocent enough, it definitely turned the heads of fan. A handful responded to her post, asking her if she'll once again be taking up Elektra's sai in the MCU. It remains to be seen if that happens, but fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order would be thrilled. And it would be only the latest example of the Netflix characters returning to the shared universe.

Disney+: from $11.99 a month w/ ad-supported plan
Disney+ is the home for the MCU, including The Punisher and One Last Kill. Plans start at $11.99 a month for its new ad-supported plan. Go ad-free and pay $18.99 a month or save 16% and pre-pay $189.99 for a year.

View Deal

It took a few years, but it feels like those MCU characters that originally lived on Netflix are now parts of the larger universe. It all started with Charlie Cox's cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home, followed by Kingpin appearing in Hawkeye and Echo. Then came Daredevil: Born Again, which brought back the whole ensemble and even Bernthal's Punisher. And Season 2 will feature the long-awaited return of Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones. As such, Elektra coming back doesn't feel out of the question at all.

We last saw Elektra in The Defenders' finale. After the final battle, she and Daredevil were both seemingly crushed underneath Midland Circle. While Matt Murdock returned for Season 3 of his show and eventually Born Again, Yung's character hasn't been seen or heard from since.

Only time will tell if Elektra actually appears in The Punisher: One Last Kill, but our answers will be here when its released May 12th as part of the 2026 TV schedule.