Tag: Disney Plus

  • Karen Page Returns Alongside an Incognito Matt Murdock in New BTS Photos from Season 2 of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    Karen Page Returns Alongside an Incognito Matt Murdock in New BTS Photos from Season 2 of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    Production on Season 2 of Marvel Television’s D+ streaming series Daredevil: Born Again has been underway in New York City for a few weeks and things look bleak for the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen and his allies. Recent photos from a Brooklyn set seem to indicate that Mayor Wilson Fisk’s beloved city has become a bit of a police state. With Fisk’s Anti-vigilante Task Force patroling the streets in broad daylight, Matt Murdock, Frank Castle and others deemed vigilantes by Kingpin have to watch their every step. Now, new photos from the set show what appears to be a clandestine meeting between Matt and his longtime friend Karen Page.

    Shared on X by Chris Gallardo (@chrisagwrites), the photos show Charlie Cox‘s Murdock and Deborah Ann Woll‘s Page out for a walk in classic some MCU disguises.

    In Cox’s case, it seems it he wears regular old sunglasses, rather than his red-tinted glasses, and pulls up his hood, he’s free to walk the streets despite Fisk knowing his “secret identity.” Even more incredible, it seems by becoming more of a red head, the red headed Page becomes just another face in the crowd!

    Those disguises may not hold up to scrutiny, however, as the new shoot does also seem to hint at a potential car chase and, ultimately, a confrontation between Fisk’s AVTF and Matt and Karen.

    Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again is now underway, with the first three episodes available on Disney Plus. Season 2 of the revival series will debut on the streaming service in 2026.

  • Marvel Studios Rumored Plans for ‘Hawkeye’ Season 2 Sound Insanely Good

    Marvel Studios Rumored Plans for ‘Hawkeye’ Season 2 Sound Insanely Good

    Set at Christmas, the first season of Hawkeye brought an entirely different vibe to Marvel Studios first wave of streaming series. It wasn’t all holly and jolly, however, as the project took viewers into New York City’s world of organized crime and reintroduced Vincent D’Onofrio‘s Kingpin into the MCU. For a while, it seemed as though the first season–which was well-received by critics and fans–woule be the only season but over the last year, buzz has steadily grown about Marvel’s interest in putting together a second round of episodes.

    I cannot speak to future plans in the tradition of secrecy. Again, the show coming out, you never know how it’s going to be received and it has been amazing to see how warmly people have taken it and enjoyed it. And it’s been great to see Hailee’s character embraced and sort of land so firmly in the MCU. I sincerely look forward to where that character goes next. And yes, I loved walking on the streets of the MCU and would gladly enjoy doing it again.

    Hawkeye director Rhys Thomas

    Originally described as being inspired by the 2011 film The Raid, a potential Season 2 of Hawkeye May be headed to small screens sooner than expected. Late last year, insider Daniel Richtman reported that Marvel Television was hoping to start production on the new season in late 2025. Weeks later, it was noticed that Disney was marketing the physical media release of Season 1 as “the complete first seasonrather than “the complete series.” Indeed Marvel Television head man Brad Winderbaum recently admitted that a second season of Hawkeye that had second season potential and could be revisited “whenever.

    On the heels of Winderbaum’s comments,  a new report on the new season’s potential plot has emerged, further fueling hopes that Clint and Kate are headed back to D+.

    The new information comes from Richtman and while it rehashes some older rumors, it includes some interesting updates to the story of the potential second season. According to the insider, inspired by Die Hard, Hawkeye Season 2 will see Clint and Kate pinned down in one location while having to fight off an onslaught of attacks by assassins. Most interestingly, it sounds as though the final boss will be the villain Trickshot, otherwise known as Barney Barton!

    This is not the first time Barney has been associated with the project and it’s easy to see how given the project’s potential plot, both The Raid and Die Hard could have been used as inspiration. And with Die Hard in the DNA, it does sound as though Season 2 of Hawkeye will be once again set and Christmastime!

    As exciting as it is, it is worth remembering that Winderbaum has also consistently warned MCU fans that the television branch of the studio is developing far more projects than they will ever produce. And the recent revelation that Terror Inc., Strange Academy and Nova were all pushed to the back of the queue should also serve to remind us all that until we start seeing set photos, trailers and official release dates, nothing should be taken for granted.

  • Jon Bernthal Promises New ‘The Punisher’ Streaming Special Will Match the Netflix Tone

    Jon Bernthal Promises New ‘The Punisher’ Streaming Special Will Match the Netflix Tone

    With the proliferation of MCU scoopers on the scene over the past five years, it’s become increasingly rare that Marvel Studios can ever truly pull of a surprise. Plot points, castings and even new projects are typically shared by social media scoopers before the trades or Disney get the news out. However, 2025 has been full of surprises with the trades announcing that Marvel had paused development on a series nobody new was being developed, leaked concept art revealing all kinds of interesting plans and news of a Special Presentation featuring Frank Castle, which came straight from the Marvel TV boss’s mouth.

    After revealing the project was in the works, Marvel’s head of TV, animation and streaming, Brad Winderbaum, also shared that Jon Bernthal, who will return as Frank Castle in an upcoming episode of Daredevil: Born Again, will co-write the Special Presentation with Reinaldo Marcus Green, who will also direct it. Now, while promoting his new film The Accountant 2, Bernthal has shared some more information about the project.

    It’s like a shotgun blast of a story, but also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story.

    -Brad Winderbaum on The Punisher Special Presentation

    In an interview with THR, Bernthal described the story of the Special Presentation as one that “this character deserves.”

    I care very deeply about Frank, I’m really grateful that I’m getting the opportunity to tell the story that I think the fans deserve. We’re giving it our all and we’re trying to tell a Frank Castle story that we’re going to turn our back on the audience — it’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be light, and I think it’s the version that this character deserves and I’m just beyond honored and grateful that we get the opportunity.

    -Jon Bernthal

    It also sounds as though fans who enjoyed the two seasons of the Bernthal’s hyper-violent Netflix series, The Punisher, will also enjoy the new project, which is reportedly debuting in 2026.

    It’s going to be dark; Frank has no interest in breaking out the darkness. It’s not going to be easy,” said Bernthal when asked how the Special Presentation would compare to the original Netflix series. “I don’t know if that’s the Netflix tone then that’s what it’s going to be. It will not be Punisher-lite, I promise you that.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Episode 2 Review: Let the Devil Out

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Episode 2 Review: Let the Devil Out

    Marvel Comics’ first Hispanic hero, Hector Ayala, never really got a turn to take the lead. First appearing in the Shang-Chi book, Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, in 1975 and then taking on a semi-regular supporting role in the late 70s/early 80s title, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Ayala, also known as the White Tiger, had some wild adventures across the Marvel Universe. However, it wasn’t until Brian Michael Bendis‘ early 2000s run on Daredevil that Ayala really took center stage in a popular title. The defendant in Bendis‘ “The Trial of the Century”, Ayala’s vigilante efforts as the White Tiger lead to him being falsely accused of killing a police officer which, interestingly enough, means that the courtroom–and not the streets of New York where he risked his life for his community–became the setting for Ayala’s time in the spotlight. Before he could beat the bunk charges, Ayala was killed by the cops and, ultimately, his legacy and the legacy of the White Tiger grew into something greater than he ever imagined when he first picked up the Jade Tiger amulets that granted him superhuman powers.

    Episode 2 of Daredevil: Born Again introduces Ayala and his White Tiger alter ego to the MCU, slightly altering the scenario that leads to his arrest and trial but–somewhat incredibly–embracing the mystical nature of his powers in a corner of the world that’s not always taken full advantage of the opportunities such capabilities provide. Highlighted by the late Kamar de los Reyes‘ understated performance as beaten up and washed Ayala, “Optics” is an excellent offering that allows the audience an extended view of the other side of Matt Murdock’s life. Though fans haven’t seen Episode 3 yet, paired with Episode 2, the MCU’s version of The Trial of the Century is must-see DD, allowing Murdock to flex his wits in what is truly a tense courtroom drama. The traits that serve Murdock so well as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen are indeed the very same that make him a really good lawyer and as Ayala’s trial unfolds, Murdock proves that as in combat, he can take a punch in the courtroom and dig deep to find a way to stay in the fight.

    Though there’s little bloodshed and much of the episode takes place during the day (gasp!), “Optics” proves just as important to the Frank Miller-heavy noir world of Daredevil as any other episode. Any great NYC crime drama will, of course, include dirty piggies and Episode 2 introduces the audience to the dirtiest and though it may not be readily apparent just yet, be sure that your time spent watching this episode will pay off as the series moves forward. A reborn Matt Murdock didn’t need to take Ayala’s case, especially once he became aware that Ayala wasn’t sharing everything with him, but the serendipitous intersection of his commitment to justice and Ayala’s commitment to doing the right thing was too hard to pass up. Up against the NYPD, Ayala is the ultimate underdog as an accused cop killer…but even when outmatched, Murdocks can take a beating and stay in the fight until the devil in ’em comes out.

    (L-R): Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Kirsten McDuffie, ADA (Niki M. James) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Rufino. © 2025 MARVEL.

    And following a palpably tense scene in which the dirty NYC cops look to take Murdock’s key witness off the board, the devil that Matt believed he has so securely tucked away does get out. The episode’s violent closing minutes may seem to exist solely to soothe the blood lust of the edge lord crew; however, paired with Wilson Fisk’s lunch meeting with NYC Police Commissioner Gallo, the scenes remind the fans that neither of these men can ever truly be anyone other than who they are. They want–perhaps even truly desire–to become the men they try so hard to be but when push comes to shove, these men, shaped so completely by their environments for so long, will always fall back on the skills of their true identities.

    As the follow-up to the new crew’s violent pilot episode, “Optics” stands in stark contrast and while it may feel slow, it begins scaffolding every major storyline of Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again. Possibly my favorite episode of the season (if not, it’s Episode 3), “Optics” serves as a prime example of how much can be accomplished in a streaming episode and how this Daredevil revival’s efforts to trim the fat have made it an upgrade over the original Netflix series.

  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’: Marvel TV Boss Confirms a Shocking Season 2 Return

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’: Marvel TV Boss Confirms a Shocking Season 2 Return

    When Marvel Studios brought Dario Scardapane on to overhaul the first season of Daredevil: Born Again, the new showrunner’s first instinct was to bring back Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll, both of whom were not originally part of the revival. His second instinct, apparently, was to have Henson’s Foggy murdered, throwing Matt Murdock’s life into chaos. Scardapane was so preoccupied with whether or not he could, he didn’t stop to think if they should.

    But what’s done is done, of course, and such a catastrophic event should never be undone. And so Foggy, who was Murdock’s best friend and partner and, according to Scardapane, one part of the “heart and soul” of Daredevil, has gone to heaven, hopefully a half hour before the devil knew he was dead. However, Scardapane has also made it clear that he believes “you can’t do this show without Foggy and Karen, so as production begins on Season 2, he seems to have created a bit of a conundrum. But apparently he’s also already solved his own problem.

    In a post-premiere interview, Marvel’s head of TV, streaming and animation, Brad Winderbaum addressed Foggy’s death and let slip a bit of information that is sure to cause fans of the show to head into a tizzy.

    Without going into spoiler territory, I will say that both Deborah and Elden are coming back for Season 2,” Winderbaum revealed to Phase Hero’s Brandon Davis. Woll‘s return was already confirmed but news of Henson‘s return will certainly cause a frenzy of wild theories and assorted nonsense.

    In the world of comic books and in particular the world of Daredevil, deaths are routinely undone. In this case, it would seem an incredibly poor choice to undo Foggy’s death given it’s the catalyst for Murdock’s all-new, all-different life. Wild theories aside, Henson‘s return could easily–and probably more reasonably–be necessary for flashbacks to the good old days of Nelson, Murdock and Page because, you know, we never saw those days.

    This is a type of new origin story for Matt. He’s the type of character that in just like all classic Marvel stories, they’re affected by some sort of tragedy.

    -Dario Scardapane

    For his part, Scardapane isn’t giving anything away. “Listen, he’s not gone forever. That’s all I can say – it’s not the last thing you’re gonna see of him,” he said of Foggy, while claiming that the creative team, who decided to kill Nelson, love him too. “So, I understand. We also understand the heartbreak, and we did not take this lightly. I get upset. We were upset on the day, we were upset watching it. All of these things are true.

    Perhaps Franklin has just been hanging out at the butcher shop all this time..

    Sources: Games Radar, Phase Hero

  • REVIEW: ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Is a Frustratingly Fantastic Return to the Streets of New York City

    REVIEW: ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Is a Frustratingly Fantastic Return to the Streets of New York City

    Daredevil has always dealt in duality. Even before Frank Miller redefined the character–and the city in which he spent his days and nights–by introducing a gritty, noir-inspired take on the hero, Matt Murdock still split his time fighting for justice in a courtroom while also dispensing justice as a vigilante. Though Miller‘s drastic reinvention of the character took him to far darker places as a lawyer-by-day, vigilante-by-night type of hero, the character has always been a fascinating study of psychological inconsistency and cognitive dissonance. And so as Marvel Studios relaunches one of the most beloved superhero shows ever made with the first season of Daredevil: Born Again, it is fitting that the new series is teeming with dichotomies.

    For nearly one-third of the season, Daredevil: Born Again dares to tease the unthinkable for Charlie Cox‘s Matt Murdock. Following an audaciously aggressive reintroduction to the world of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen that shatters the comfort zone so carefully constructed over three seasons of Netflix’s Daredevil, Marvel Television’s revival allows Murdock to feel how awful goodness is. But fear not, true believers, the studio could not resist the urge to drag Daredevil back into the darkness, once more choosing Frank Miller over the field.

    Who fate gave the ability to hear and smell and touch better than anybody in the world can, which is a great way to catch all the misery of being alive

    -Daredevil as written by Frank Miller
    Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Rufino. © 2024 MARVEL.

    The first episode of Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: Born Again chaotically catabolizes everything that both Matt Murdock and the fans of Netflix’s Daredevil hold dear, abruptly and refreshingly changing the status quo for the beleaguered vigilante. Stripped bare, Murdock is born again into a brighter world full of new relationships, professionally and personally, and one that ironically holds hope for the hero. However, just when Matt thought he was out, they pull him back in!

    Just as Matt seems to be free of his dark past, it comes rushing in to upset the shaky new scaffolding. As has been clear since the series was first announced in 2022, Daredevil: Born Again could just as well have been titled Kingpin: Born Again and the new and improved Wilson Fisk’s ambitions and love for New York City set the pair on a path that challenges each’s best intentions. A tense meeting over coffee in which both men swear they’ve left their alter egos behind them slowly devolves into a pissing match between the better angels of their natures; indeed, the next three episodes prove that neither man ever moved too far away from his true self and follows the co-leads as they slowly let their devils out of whatever cage they believed to have contained them, setting them on a path toward yet another inevitable confrontation.

    Tonally divergent from the ethos of the Netflix series for the first seven episodes of the season, Daredevil: Born Again constructs a brighter world around a more devil-may-care Matt; unfortunately, both that world and Matt ultimately fall victim to the darkness of the city and its inhabitants as a serial killer throws the city into a frenzy. By the time the series heads into what will stream as a two-part finale, the replacement creative team of showrunner Dario Scardapane and directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead put together what could only be described as “peak Netflix”, allowing both Daredevil and Kingpin to be “Born again.” Steering the show back in that direction is a frustrating decision, even if foreseeable; however, it’s not damaging to the quality of the series in any way and works to push the characters to a precipice that will have to wait to be resolved in Season 2.

    Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Rufino. © 2024 MARVEL.
    Less bloated than any season of the Netflix series, Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again spins a tight, well-paced narrative that impressively stands strong despite the mid-stream change of creatives. Though the marketing for the series isn’t necessarily the most honest work Marvel Studios has ever done, the show does return to its gritty, noir roots despite spending a large chunk of time playing in the sun, delivering the “whole new deal” Cox once promised while also relishing in the edgey brutality of the old deal. A wonky VFX scene or two, a bit of overacting here and there and a few superfluous characters aren’t enough to tip the scales here: Daredevil: Born Again is, from start to finish, a fantastic series. With its hero and its villain equally saturated in blood and emotional trauma, the show examines the futility of pursuing sustainable change without addressing the deeply nested layers of human behavior.

    Despite standing tall not only among Marvel Studios’ streaming series but also among the three original seasons of Daredevil, Daredevil: Born Again is also frustrating in its insistence on keeping Murdock’s story drenched in blood. While sanguinary and savage storytelling defined the Netflix era of The Man Without Fear, it’s not the defining trait of the character who has been a staple of Marvel Comics since the 1960s. While Miller‘s reinvention did elevate the character to new heights, it’s bizarre to see his dark and violent vision for Daredevil become THE vision for the character. Miller‘s Daredevil portfolio is hardly prolific (8 other writers have spent more time on Daredevil books than Miller) and perhaps the particular itch for wanton violence would be better scratched in the MCU by Punisher or Moon Knight. And so to see the series briefly flirt with a new direction inspired, it would seem, by Mark Waid‘s long run on the book only to retreat into darkness again begs the question: why do the writers hate Matt Murdock?

    Given all the media hype that followed the news that Scardapane, Benson and Moorehead were brought on board, one would assume that the trio swooped in and saved the series from disaster. In reality, upon seeing the entire season, it hardly feels that way at all but rather feels that the new creatives were brought in because Daredevil: Born Again was not Netflixy-enough. To everyone’s credit, the blending of “new” and “old” is seamless throughout; if you didn’t know there was a creative overhaul on the series before you sat down to watch, nothing would alert you to it while watching the series. Episodes 2 and 3, which adapt Brian Michael Bendis‘ “Trial of the Century” arc from his early 2000s run on the book, deliver the best courtroom drama in the history of the series. The trial of Hector Ayala challenges Murdock and his new partner, Kirsten McDuffie, at every turn, creating true tension that will be palpable to viewers. High profile and high stakes, the trial puts Matt in the spotlight and, unfortunately, in a position where a win can’t just be a win.

    Hector Ayala / White Tiger (Kamar de los Reyes) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Rufino. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Following Ayala’s trial, what would seem to have been the original outline for the show looked to be headed to some dark enough places. Cleverly written with a narrative throughline that continually pulled Murdock further away from the new life he believed he had established, Episodes 2 through 7 are incredibly engaging and if this show were a binge release, fans would have a hard time walking away as Hector’s trial bleeds into the search for a serial killer who unknowingly has put himself right in the middle of Murdock’s life. We may never know where the first season was originally going to land and where the original team meant to go next; however, it’s safe to say that Scardpane‘s Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, which should hit D+ in 2026, might just as well be titled Daredevil Season 4.

    No matter which material they worked with, Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio delivered top-tier performances, especially in their brief time together. Jon Bernthal‘s return as Frank Castle comes complete with all the squealing brutality one might expect from The Punisher while also serving as a wonderfully necessary foil for Murdock. The late Kamar de los Reyes stands out as Hector Ayala, whose legacy is left to be explored should the powers that be choose to do so; Margarita Levieva‘s subdued Heather Glenn ends up a much more interesting character than her comic book counterpart; and Ayelet Zurer‘s Vanessa works as a driving force behind the central plot. The Fisks’ relationship works as an interesting parallel to that of Matt and Heather and the intersection of the two ultimately leads to the season’s biggest surprise.

    For nearly a year, Marvel Studios has been operating according to a new strategy behind the scenes as shifting priorities have led them to focus on developing series that can premiere annually. It’s clear that the studios intends for Daredevil: Born Again to be both the canary in the coal mine in that regard but that they also have enough faith in it that they’ve already established it as the flagship of the new era of Marvel Television. To that end, each new season must entice viewers to return for subsequent seasons while also being able to stand alone not only as a season but with weekly episodes that drive conversation and interest. Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again accomplishes that mission. Its weekly releases will have people buzzing (I’m looking forward to the response to the series St. Patrick’s Day-set bottle episode) and the response to the season finale may actually trigger Richter scales. Grace and retribution. Reward and punishment. Hopes and fears. Daredevil: Born Again‘s return to the streets of New York City is frustratingly incongruous in its treatment of its Guardian Devil and a contradiction in itself but I’ll be damned if it isn’t an incredible season of TV.

  • Leaked Concept Art Reveals Another Comic Book Avenger Is Being Considered for Marvel’s ‘Vision’ Series

    Leaked Concept Art Reveals Another Comic Book Avenger Is Being Considered for Marvel’s ‘Vision’ Series

    Marvel Studios Vision series is shaping up to be one of the studio’s most unique projects to date. Originally developed by WandaVision and Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer, Vision was passed off to Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas in May 2024. Matalas wasted no time rebuilding the show according to his new…vision…and from what can be gleaned by going through the confirmed cast–which includes Ultron voice actor James Spader–and team of directors, Vision may end up being a tense psychological thriller with notes of existential crisis. And it looks like it might have a lot of artificial intelligence types as well.

    As part of the Great Concept Art Leak of 2025, concept art for the AI known as Jocasta was revealed. The file name included the phrase “tmn” which indicates that the art is for Tin Man, the working title of the Vision streaming series.

    As a backup AI unit created by Tony Stark and seen briefly in Avengers: Age of Ultron, J.O.C.A.S.T.A. technically already exists in the MCU. However, it looks as though the character, who was created by Ultron in the comics, will be finding her way into a physical body in Vision.

    Though she was designed as “The Bride of Ultron”, Jocasta has long been an ally of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and an Avenger herself. It’s unclear if Ultron will be responsible for the creation of her body in the MCU but it is starting to feel like Vision will see a proliferation of artificial beings with rumors that characters such as Viv Vision and Victor Mancha may also appear.

    Vision is set to begin production this month and is expected to stream on Disney Plus in 2026.

  • Zoinks! Original Ghostface Killer Matthew Lillard Joins Season 2 of  ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    Zoinks! Original Ghostface Killer Matthew Lillard Joins Season 2 of  ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    With Marvel Television’s priorities having shifted toward creating streaming series that can recurr annually, the projects the studio chooses to curate as such will enter into what will seem like an endless news cycle. As one season debuts, the next will be in production and with the enormous interest in Marvel’s projects, sometimes production photos and information generate more buzz than the series themselves.

    While filming in the streets of New York City, the first season of Daredevil: Born Again certainly did just that as photos from the set revealed the returns of Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Wilson Bethel and Jon Bernthal as well as some pretty major spoilers. Now, as the debut first season of the new series draws near and production on Season 2 prepares to get underway, a trade report has kickstarted the the hype engine.

    According to Deadline, 90s icon Matthew Lillard, best known for his roles as Shaggy in 2002’s Scooby Doo and Stu Macher in Scream, has joined the cast of Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again.

    Lillard‘s role is unknown at the time though the actor’s résumé calls to mind a certain type of character and many fans are already debating which member of Daredevil’s extensive rogues gallery he’ll be portraying. The plot of Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again is being kept under wraps but it is expected that Wilson Fisk, played once more by a returning Vincent D’Onofrio, will continue to serve as the primary antagonist to Charlie Cox‘s Matt Murdock.

    The first two-episodes of Daredevil: Born Again will debut on Disney Plus at 9 PM ET on Disney Plus.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘The Punisher’ Special Presentation

    ‘The Punisher’ Special Presentation

    Premiere: TBD 2026

    Officially announced by Marvel’s head of TV, streaming and animation, Brad Winderbaum, in February 2025, The Punisher Special Presentation will be filmed in 2025 and debut on D+ in 2026.

    Star Jon Bernthal will co-write the Special Presentation with Reinaldo Marcus Green, who will also direct it. 

    Cast

    • Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher
  • Marvel Adds Two Projects to Its 2026 Slate

    Marvel Adds Two Projects to Its 2026 Slate

    Bob Iger‘s return to the Disney throne may have come with a mandate for the company’s major production studios to slow their respective rolls in terms of the quantity of streaming projects being released per year but in the case of Marvel Studios, no slowdown has been detected just yet.

    We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three. And we’re working hard on what that path is.

    -Bob Iger

    A busier than expected 2025, featuring three films and a total of six streaming series, has just gotten underway and is about to ramp up significantly with the highly-anticipated Daredevil: Born Again set to launch on March 4th. Following the return to Hell’s Kitchen, fans still have plenty to look forward to the rest of the year and it’s starting to look as though 2026 might be nearly as busy, including second seasons of two of the studio’s most well-received streaming series to date.

    According to Marvel TV chief Brad Winderbaum, the sophomore seasons of both X-Men ’97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are planned to hit D+ at some point in 2026.

    Of course, in the world of animatied projects things can often move a little slower than expected; however, Winderbaum reminds, at the very least, cautiously optimistic that Season 2 of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will be ready for next year. “Season 2 in ’26, I think,” said Winderbaum before addressing the studio’s even grander plans for the hit series.

    Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames) in Marvel Animation’s YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

    We will have a Spider-Man season every year if I have anything to say about it,” said Marvel’s head of TV, streaming and animation. “What usually happens, as you know, in animation, is that there’s a bigger gap between Season 1 and Season 2 than in subsequent seasons, and that’ll be similar in Friendly. We will have to wait a little bit more than a year for Season 2, but then after that, it should come out on an annual cadence, hopefully. “

    Pragmatically speaking, a second season of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man might not hit arrive on D+ until mid-2026. That’s ok, however, considering fans are already looking forward to a jam-packed follow-up which will introduce Gwen Stacy, follow Peter and Harry’s plans with the Worldwide Engineering Brigade, follow Tombstone’s rise in Harlem and, hopefully, address how Peter’s father ended up in prison, among other things. It’s also ok because it sounds like another amazing animated adventure might be on track to return sooner than that.

    (L-R): Cyclops (voiced by Ray Chase) and Jean Grey (voiced by Jennifer Hale) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Season 2 of X-Men ‘97 is going to be in ‘26. We’re working on it now,” Winderbaum told Collider, confirming previous reports. The longtime Marvel exec then explained that as part of Marvel Television’s new approach, the hope is to have X-Men ’97, like Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, ready for yearly release. “To me, it’s important to try to get to an annual cadence with these shows and to have something that people can rely on,” he said. “This has been a challenge for streaming in general, but I really want to create television shows that feel like shows. So, part of that is creating a seasonal cadence that people can rely on.”

    The season finale cliffhanger set the stage for multiple major storylines to unfold in Season 2 of X-Men ’97; however, with Ms. Marvel and What If…? writer Matthew Chauncey taking over for a fired Beau DeMayo, the new season required a little more time to prep as Chauncey redirects it from the original 5-season plan.

    As it stands, fans have 4 streaming projects confirmed to arrive in 2026 (X-Men ’97 Season 2, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, The Punisher Special Presentation, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2) with another likely (Vision). Theatrically, the studio has set dates for Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man 4 while still keeping dates set aside for a pair of untitled films. All told, 2026 does indeed look to be another busy year for Marvel, Iger’s mandate be damned.

    Source: Collider and Collider