(Photo Credit: Marvel Studios)
Before Marvel Studios overhauled its television operations, returning to a more traditional model that included showrunners and multi-season plans, the company was reportedly planning on developing limited series centered around villains.
Marvel Studios was planning on making more villain-focused Disney+ shows before television pivot
On the heels of the title reveal and release date for The Punisher: One Last Kill, Bullseye actor Wilson Bethel revealed that he would be open to headlining his own Marvel Television Special Presentation. “From your lips to God’s ears, man. I sure hope so,” the Daredevil: Born Again actor said after being asked if he would be open to such a project.
The exchange led to scooper Cryptic HD QUALITY revealing on X that Marvel at one point “wanted 1 or 2 vilains [sic] to have mini shows a few years back.” It’s unclear which villains Marvel had its eye on for Disney+ shows, as the studio has so far developed projects for both returning and new characters, like Tom Hiddleston’s reformed villain Loki and Hulk’s cousin She-Hulk.
I think we should get Special Presentations for villains. Special Presentations weren’t a thing then yet, but believe it or not, they wanted 1 or 2 vilains to have mini shows a few years back. https://t.co/dZgD26KiNz— Cryptic HD QUALITY (@Cryptic4KQual) March 24, 2026
Villain-centric Special Presentations aren’t a new idea, as one centered around Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto was reportedly in the works at one point. In March 2023, journalist Jeff Sneider reported that a Mephisto special was being filmed on the set of the Disney+ series Agatha All Along. However, three years later, Marvel has still not announced a Mephisto special, calling into question the validity of the report.
The Punisher: One Last Kill will be the third Special Presentation, after Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (both 2022). In the Disney+ special, Jon Bernthal reprises his role as Frank Castle/The Punisher, in addition to co-writing the screenplay with its director, Reinaldo Marcus Green.
The logline for the special reads as follows: “As Frank Castle searches for meaning beyond revenge, an unexpected force pulls him back into the fight.” One Last Kill will pick up after the events of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 and reportedly lead into the character’s role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The Punisher: One Last Kill arrives on Disney+ on May 12, 2026.
