Punisher: War Zone
Encyclopedia
Punisher: War Zone is a 2008 comic book
action film
directed by Lexi Alexander
; based on the fictional Marvel Comics
vigilante
/anti-hero
the Punisher
. It is the third film to depict the Marvel character Frank Castle (the Punisher). The film is a reboot that follows the original telling of Castle's war on crime and corruption rather than a sequel to 2004's The Punisher
or 1989's The Punisher
, and is the first film to be produced under the Marvel Studios
and Marvel Knights production banner, which focuses on films for mature audiences. Northern Irish actor Ray Stevenson
replaced Thomas Jane
as Castle. In the film, Castle wages a one-man war against a horribly disfigured mob boss known as Jigsaw
(Dominic West
). Punisher: War Zone was released in North America by Lionsgate
on December 5, 2008, and was released in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2009.
), who by now has been the Punisher
for five years, assaults a party for mob
boss Gaitano Cesare. Billy Russoti (Dominic West
) escapes to his recycling plant hideout, and Detectives Martin Soap
(Dash Mihok
) and Saffiotti (Tony Calabretta), who were staking out the party, inform Castle. Castle infiltrates Russoti's hideout, and a brief firefight, Russoti is thrown into a glass-crushing machine that leaves him hideously disfigured. Russoti later refers to himself as "Jigsaw
" because the stitches in his face resemble puzzle pieces. Castle, who has taken cover behind the body of Nicky Donatelli (Romano Orzari
), discovers that a presumed thug he had killed in the hideout was an undercover FBI agent.
Agent Paul Budiansky (Colin Salmon
), the deceased agent's partner, joins the NYPD
's "Punisher Task Force", partnering with Soap to help bring Castle to justice. Meanwhile, Jigsaw frees his deranged brother, "Loony Bin Jim" (Doug Hutchison
).
Distraught over killing the agent, Castle attempts to make reparations to Donatelli's wife, Angela (Julie Benz
), and daughter, Grace (Stephanie Janusauskas), to no avail. Castle threatens to retire from the vigilante business, but his armorer, Microchip
(Wayne Knight
), forces him to reconsider, telling him Jigsaw will go after Donatelli's family for revenge.
Jigsaw, Loony Bin Jim, and two goons, Ink and Pittsy, break into Donatelli's house and hold the family hostage. The Punisher tracks down Maginty (T. J. Storm) a known associate of Jigsaw, executing Maginty after he has told what he knows. Budiansky and Soap attempt to arrest the Punisher, who disarms them, but Budiansky handcuffs himself to the Punisher. The Punisher tells him Jigsaw went after Donatelli's family, and Budiansky sends a police car to check on the Donatelli house, intending to turn the Punisher in. When the patrol car fails to respond, Budiansky checks on the house, where he is caught by Ink and Pittsy. Soap frees the Punisher, who kills Ink and Pittsy before leading Donatelli's wife and daughter away. Budiansky then arrests Jigsaw and Loony Bin Jim after a short gun fight.
Jigsaw and his brother bargain with the FBI for their release by giving up Cristu Bulat (David Vadim
), who was smuggling in a biological weapon destined for Arab terrorists in Queens, New York. The brothers are granted immunity, plus the US$12 million Bulat was paying to use Jigsaw's port, and a file on Micro. They take Micro hostage, killing his mother in the process. They once again take the Donatellis hostage, after critically injuring Micro's associate Carlos, whom Castle had left to protect them. Castle later arrives at the hideout to find evidence of their break-in and sees a badly wounded Carlos. He informs Castle of what happened and is then mercy killed in consent
, by a sorrowful Castle. Jigsaw sets himself up in the Bradstreet Hotel, hiring a small private army of criminals. Castle enlists the help of Budiansky, who informs Cristu's father, Tiberiu Bulat (Aubert Pallascio
), where Jigsaw is located. Tiberiu's goons start a shootout in the hotel lobby, affording Castle a distraction.
Castle enters through a second-floor window, leading to a firefight with Jigsaw's hired guns. Afterward, Loony Bin Jim engages Castle in hand-to-hand combat; realizing he will probably not survive the brawl, Jim runs away. Castle chases him and confronts both him and Jigsaw, who are holding Micro and Grace Donatelli at gunpoint. Jigsaw gives Castle a choice: If Frank shoots Micro, Jigsaw will let the others go free. Micro bravely offers his life to save the girl, but Castle chooses to shoot Loony Bin Jim instead. As a result, Jigsaw kills Micro. Enraged by the loss of his partner, Castle attacks Jigsaw, eventually impaling him with a metal rod and throwing him onto a fire. As Jigsaw burns to death, Castle calmly tells him, "This is just the beginning." Outside, Angela forgives Castle, who bids farewell to Budiansky and the Donatelli family.
As Castle and Soap leave together, Soap tries to convince Castle to give up his vigilante status after having "killed every criminal in town." Soap however changes his mind when he is attacked by a murderous mugger who quickly becomes another victim of the Punisher.
s theatrical debut, Lions Gate Entertainment
announced the studio's intent to produce a sequel. Avi Arad
, chairman and CEO of Marvel Studios
, expressed his interest in developing the franchise, saying that the second film would "become the fifth Marvel property to become a sequel." In March, the director of the first film, Jonathan Hensleigh
, said that he was interested in working with Thomas Jane
again for The Punisher 2. In April, Jane said that the villain for The Punisher 2 would be Jigsaw
. In November, Jane said that the studio was interested in making a sequel based on successful DVD sales of The Punisher and was developing the preliminary budget for the follow-up.
announced a 2006 theatrical release date for The Punisher 2. In April, Lions Gate Entertainment's CEO, Jon Feltheimer, confirmed at LGF's 2005 fiscal third quarter analyst call that the studio had completed its deal to develop The Punisher 2. Prior to July, Arad revealed that the script was being rewritten and that the sequel would start filming within the year. By July, Jane had put on an additional 12 pounds of muscle, and was hoping for filming to start in late-2006.
, first announced in April 2004, would be in the film. Jane also said that director Jonathan Hensleigh would not be returning to direct the sequel. In addition, Lions Gate Entertainment, amidst the studios returning to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina
, announced that The Punisher 2 would begin filming within the year. In October, Thomas Jane said the script was due in a couple of weeks, and that it would be "darker, bloodier and more unfriendly than the first one." In December, the screenplay was being rewritten by screenwriter Stuart Beattie
.
, a writer for The Shield
, was involved with the script for The Punisher 2. Sutter said that he had an enjoyable time writing the script for the sequel and that it was going to be very true to the character. In a separate interview, Thomas Jane revealed that a new script had been turned in and everyone was hoping it would work out, as the lack of a good script had been holding up production. He further stated that if everything goes as planned then filming should begin in June or July, but shortly afterward, in a letter to Ain't It Cool News
, Jane wrote that he had pulled out of the movie, stating:
In May 2007, director John Dahl
was in talks to direct the movie, but decided not to helm the film, citing a bad script and lack of budget as reasons for passing. In June, it was announced that Lexi Alexander
would then take over the role as director as a result. In a December 2008 interview, Alexander revealed that when she first got the Punisher 2 script she passed on the project, but later changed her mind after reading the MAX adult Punisher comics, and getting assurances from Lionsgate that she could give the project a new look and feel – and cast a new actor in the central role of the Punisher.
On July 21, it was announced that actor Ray Stevenson
would play the Punisher in the sequel to the 2004 film. Filming was slated to begin in October 2007 in Montreal. In August, a working title for the film, The Punisher: Welcome Back Frank, was announced. On August 28, Lionsgate announced that the new working name for The Punisher 2 would be Punisher: War Zone. In mid-September, the director announced cast members joining Stevenson with Dash Mihok
as Detective Martin Soap, Colin Salmon
as Agent Paul Budiansky, and Doug Hutchison
as Loony Bin Jim. It was announced on September 25 via The Hollywood Reporter
that Dominic West
will star as the main antagonist, Jigsaw, and Wayne Knight
will play the Punisher's armorer, Microchip
. Filming occurred from October 22 until December 14 in Montreal. Principal photography for Punisher: War Zone was completed on December 27.
The film was set for a September 12, 2008, release, but was pushed back three months to December 5, 2008. A teaser trailer was released on June 12, 2008. On July 25, Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News
wrote an article claiming that Lexi Alexander had been removed as the film's director. A second trailer was revealed to the public at the San Diego ComicCon on the same day. Alexander did not make an appearance at the convention, which caused speculation from the fans who attended the film's panel to question whether or not her name had been taken off the film. On August 15, website Latino Review reported that Lionsgate would be editing the film to receive a PG-13 rating. The director of photography, Steve Gainer, later claimed that the movie will be "R" and that Alexander is still on-board the project. On October 3, IGN
confirmed that Alexander was not fired from the movie, based on an official statement they received from Lionsgate. In a December 2008 interview, Alexander confirmed that she had had serious battles with Lionsgate, but denied that she was ever officially off the movie. "My name was never off, nor would I want it taken off, nor did I ever get a pink slip. The truth is that we had probably the same discussions that any other film has." Despite the much publicized discourse, Alexander says she is "extremely happy" with the final film:
property, right along with Elektra
and Howard the Duck
. This is mostly due to the film's R18+ rating. It has also grossed $2,049,059 internationally, bringing it to $10,100,036 worldwide.
, the film received a 27% approval rating, based on 98 reviews, with an average rating of 4.3/10, with a 5% approval rating from top critics. The consensus is that "War Zone recalls the excessively violent, dialogue-challenged actioners of the 1980s, and coincidentally feels two decades out of date." Roger Ebert
of the Chicago Sun-Times
awarded the film 2 out of 4 stars, writing, "You used to be able to depend on a terrible film being poorly made. No longer. The Punisher: War Zone is one of the best-made bad movies I've seen." And that the film's only flaw is "that it's disgusting." Clark Collis writes that Ray Stevenson
's "character could be called the Not-Much-of-a-Learning Curveinator."
Felix Vasquez of Cinema Crazed, who loved the previous film version, gave Punisher: War Zone a positive review, claiming "War Zone is a better film." Edward Porter of the UK The Sunday Times
gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing, "Earning an 18 certificate with its violence, the film is kids’ stuff in all other respects: over-the-top shootouts, monstrous and barking-mad villains, a bumbling sidekick and so on. Highly enjoyable tosh." Victor Olliver of Teletext wrote, "This is as true to a Marvel comic tale as I've ever seen - gory, serious, intense, dark and utterly psychotic." Movie reporter Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle
gave the film a positive review, writing that it is the "best Punisher movie by far. The action is satisfying and the dark story is close to the tone of its Marvel Comics source material."
Despite negative reviews, Punisher: War Zone has begun to take on a small cult following. Comedian Patton Oswalt
has been a vocal supporter of the film since its release, calling it "THE BEST time I've had at the movies this year." In October 2011, Oswalt hosted a screening of the film in Los Angeles with director Lexi Alexander, and the two discussed the film in episode 20 of Paul Scheer
's podcast "How Did This Get Made?"
and Blu-ray
on March 17, 2009. It was released on two different versions, a 2-disc special edition with a digital copy, and a standard version featuring both widescreen and fullscreen versions of the film. DVD sales for the film in North America (as of March 2010) was $10,454,076 in revenue from 576,151 units sold. In total, Punisher: War Zone has made $20,543,449 in box office and DVD sales, and while there are no figures yet for how much it made in DVD sales internationally, which could add to the overall figure, it is still significantly lower than the $115M amount 2004's Punisher
movie made from box office and DVD sales.
.
head Kevin Feige said that the rights to the character had reverted to Marvel, which was interested in some form of TV or film adaptation.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
directed by Lexi Alexander
Lexi Alexander
Lexi Alexander is a German film director and martial artist.-Career:In her childhood, she began kickboxing and karate. At the age of 19, she became world champion in both. She is represented by Endeavor Agency and Gotham Group in Los Angeles, United States.After this, she went to Hollywood...
; based on the fictional Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
/anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
the Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
. It is the third film to depict the Marvel character Frank Castle (the Punisher). The film is a reboot that follows the original telling of Castle's war on crime and corruption rather than a sequel to 2004's The Punisher
The Punisher (2004 film)
The Punisher is a 2004 American comic book action film, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, starring Thomas Jane as the antihero Frank Castle / The Punisher and John Travolta as the villain Howard Saint, a money launderer who orders the death of Castle's entire family...
or 1989's The Punisher
The Punisher (1989 film)
The Punisher is a 1989 film starring Dolph Lundgren as Frank Castle, directed by Mark Goldblatt from a screenplay by Boaz Yakin. It is loosely based on the Marvel Comics' character The Punisher. The film changes many details of the comic book origin and the main character does not wear the...
, and is the first film to be produced under the Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios, originally Marvel Films, is an American television and motion picture studio based in Manhattan Beach, California. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, a self-contained part of the The Walt Disney Company conglomerate....
and Marvel Knights production banner, which focuses on films for mature audiences. Northern Irish actor Ray Stevenson
Ray Stevenson (actor)
George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson is a Northern Irish-born English film and television actor. He is known for playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome , and in film as Dagonet in King Arthur and as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone and The Super Hero Squad Show...
replaced Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane is an American actor known for his roles in the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, the 2001 TV film 61*, the 2004 film The Punisher and the 2007 Stephen King adaptation The Mist...
as Castle. In the film, Castle wages a one-man war against a horribly disfigured mob boss known as Jigsaw
Jigsaw (Marvel Comics)
Jigsaw is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Throughout his many appearances, he has served as one of the Punisher's few recurring villains...
(Dominic West
Dominic West
Dominic Gerard Fe West is an English actor best known for his role as Detective Jimmy McNulty in the HBO drama series The Wire.-Film and TV:...
). Punisher: War Zone was released in North America by Lionsgate
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
on December 5, 2008, and was released in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2009.
Plot
Frank Castle (Ray StevensonRay Stevenson (actor)
George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson is a Northern Irish-born English film and television actor. He is known for playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome , and in film as Dagonet in King Arthur and as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone and The Super Hero Squad Show...
), who by now has been the Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
for five years, assaults a party for mob
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
boss Gaitano Cesare. Billy Russoti (Dominic West
Dominic West
Dominic Gerard Fe West is an English actor best known for his role as Detective Jimmy McNulty in the HBO drama series The Wire.-Film and TV:...
) escapes to his recycling plant hideout, and Detectives Martin Soap
Martin Soap
Lieutenant Martin Soap is a fictional character, a police officer in the Marvel Comics universe. He served as a supporting character and comic relief for the Punisher throughout the character's 2000 miniseries and 2001 ongoing series. Soap first appeared in The Punisher Lieutenant Martin Soap is a...
(Dash Mihok
Dash Mihok
Dashiell "Dash" Mihok is an American actor.-Life and career:Mihok was born in New York City, New York, the son of actors Andrea and Raymond Thorne . He attended the Bronx High School of Science and was raised in Greenwich Village. While at the Bronx High School of Science, Dash played baseball as...
) and Saffiotti (Tony Calabretta), who were staking out the party, inform Castle. Castle infiltrates Russoti's hideout, and a brief firefight, Russoti is thrown into a glass-crushing machine that leaves him hideously disfigured. Russoti later refers to himself as "Jigsaw
Jigsaw (Marvel Comics)
Jigsaw is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Throughout his many appearances, he has served as one of the Punisher's few recurring villains...
" because the stitches in his face resemble puzzle pieces. Castle, who has taken cover behind the body of Nicky Donatelli (Romano Orzari
Romano Orzari
Romano Orzari is a Canadian actor. He has appeared in TV shows such as Bugs, Mutant X, Durham County, and Banshee and has appeared in films such as Punisher: War Zone, Immortals, The Last Hit Man, and One Way Out....
), discovers that a presumed thug he had killed in the hideout was an undercover FBI agent.
Agent Paul Budiansky (Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon is a British actor best known for playing the character Charles Robinson in three James Bond films.-Personal life:...
), the deceased agent's partner, joins the NYPD
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
's "Punisher Task Force", partnering with Soap to help bring Castle to justice. Meanwhile, Jigsaw frees his deranged brother, "Loony Bin Jim" (Doug Hutchison
Doug Hutchison
Doug Anthony Hutchison is an American actor, known for his roles in The Green Mile, as corrections officer Percy Wetmore, Eugene Victor Tooms in The X-Files, as Horace Goodspeed in Lost and as Davros in 24. He owns the production company Dark Water Inc.-Personal life:Hutchison was born in Dover,...
).
Distraught over killing the agent, Castle attempts to make reparations to Donatelli's wife, Angela (Julie Benz
Julie Benz
Julie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
), and daughter, Grace (Stephanie Janusauskas), to no avail. Castle threatens to retire from the vigilante business, but his armorer, Microchip
Microchip (comics)
David Linus "Microchip" Lieberman is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer Mike Baron and artist Klaus Janson, he first appeared in The Punisher #4 as an ally of The Punisher for many years. He assisted the Punisher by building weapons, supplying technology...
(Wayne Knight
Wayne Knight
Wayne Eliot Knight is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor perhaps best known for his role as Newman in the TV sitcom Seinfeld...
), forces him to reconsider, telling him Jigsaw will go after Donatelli's family for revenge.
Jigsaw, Loony Bin Jim, and two goons, Ink and Pittsy, break into Donatelli's house and hold the family hostage. The Punisher tracks down Maginty (T. J. Storm) a known associate of Jigsaw, executing Maginty after he has told what he knows. Budiansky and Soap attempt to arrest the Punisher, who disarms them, but Budiansky handcuffs himself to the Punisher. The Punisher tells him Jigsaw went after Donatelli's family, and Budiansky sends a police car to check on the Donatelli house, intending to turn the Punisher in. When the patrol car fails to respond, Budiansky checks on the house, where he is caught by Ink and Pittsy. Soap frees the Punisher, who kills Ink and Pittsy before leading Donatelli's wife and daughter away. Budiansky then arrests Jigsaw and Loony Bin Jim after a short gun fight.
Jigsaw and his brother bargain with the FBI for their release by giving up Cristu Bulat (David Vadim
David Vadim
David Vadim is a Ukrainian-born American actor who appeared in the movies Air Force One, Exit Wounds, G.I. Jane and Punisher: War Zone...
), who was smuggling in a biological weapon destined for Arab terrorists in Queens, New York. The brothers are granted immunity, plus the US$12 million Bulat was paying to use Jigsaw's port, and a file on Micro. They take Micro hostage, killing his mother in the process. They once again take the Donatellis hostage, after critically injuring Micro's associate Carlos, whom Castle had left to protect them. Castle later arrives at the hideout to find evidence of their break-in and sees a badly wounded Carlos. He informs Castle of what happened and is then mercy killed in consent
Coup de grâce
The expression coup de grâce means a death blow intended to end the suffering of a wounded creature. The phrase can refer to the killing of civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the consent of the sufferer...
, by a sorrowful Castle. Jigsaw sets himself up in the Bradstreet Hotel, hiring a small private army of criminals. Castle enlists the help of Budiansky, who informs Cristu's father, Tiberiu Bulat (Aubert Pallascio
Aubert Pallascio
Aubert Pallascio is a Canadian actor. He is best known for having portrayed Pierre Trudeau in the 1980 film The Kidnapping of the President. He was nominated in 1996 for a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Liste noire .- External links :...
), where Jigsaw is located. Tiberiu's goons start a shootout in the hotel lobby, affording Castle a distraction.
Castle enters through a second-floor window, leading to a firefight with Jigsaw's hired guns. Afterward, Loony Bin Jim engages Castle in hand-to-hand combat; realizing he will probably not survive the brawl, Jim runs away. Castle chases him and confronts both him and Jigsaw, who are holding Micro and Grace Donatelli at gunpoint. Jigsaw gives Castle a choice: If Frank shoots Micro, Jigsaw will let the others go free. Micro bravely offers his life to save the girl, but Castle chooses to shoot Loony Bin Jim instead. As a result, Jigsaw kills Micro. Enraged by the loss of his partner, Castle attacks Jigsaw, eventually impaling him with a metal rod and throwing him onto a fire. As Jigsaw burns to death, Castle calmly tells him, "This is just the beginning." Outside, Angela forgives Castle, who bids farewell to Budiansky and the Donatelli family.
As Castle and Soap leave together, Soap tries to convince Castle to give up his vigilante status after having "killed every criminal in town." Soap however changes his mind when he is attacked by a murderous mugger who quickly becomes another victim of the Punisher.
Cast
- Ray StevensonRay Stevenson (actor)George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson is a Northern Irish-born English film and television actor. He is known for playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome , and in film as Dagonet in King Arthur and as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone and The Super Hero Squad Show...
as Frank Castle / The PunisherPunisherThe Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
: Prior to filming, Stevenson read every possible issue of the Punisher MAXThe Punisher: Frank CastleThe Punisher: Frank Castle is a comic book ongoing series published under the MAX imprint of Marvel Comics, featuring vigilante anti-hero, the Punisher....
series, underwent endurance, martial arts, and weapons training with former Force Recon MarinesUnited States Marine Corps Force ReconnaissanceThe Force Reconnaissance Companies , are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force ; supporting the landing or joint task force commanders, and...
and film fight choreographer Pat Johnson. - Wayne KnightWayne KnightWayne Eliot Knight is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor perhaps best known for his role as Newman in the TV sitcom Seinfeld...
as Linus Lieberman / MicrochipMicrochip (comics)David Linus "Microchip" Lieberman is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer Mike Baron and artist Klaus Janson, he first appeared in The Punisher #4 as an ally of The Punisher for many years. He assisted the Punisher by building weapons, supplying technology...
: Armorer to the Punisher. - Colin SalmonColin SalmonColin Salmon is a British actor best known for playing the character Charles Robinson in three James Bond films.-Personal life:...
as FBI Agent Paul Budiansky: Former partner of Nicky Donatelli. Based on an NYPD officer of the same name in the Punisher story arc "Widowmaker". - Doug HutchisonDoug HutchisonDoug Anthony Hutchison is an American actor, known for his roles in The Green Mile, as corrections officer Percy Wetmore, Eugene Victor Tooms in The X-Files, as Horace Goodspeed in Lost and as Davros in 24. He owns the production company Dark Water Inc.-Personal life:Hutchison was born in Dover,...
as James Russoti / Loony Bin Jim (LBJ): A chemically imbalanced, cannibalistic, psychopath whose veins practically flow with adrenaline and testosterone, leaving him in a constant state of homicidal mania that he alleviates by going on periodical killing sprees. - Dominic WestDominic WestDominic Gerard Fe West is an English actor best known for his role as Detective Jimmy McNulty in the HBO drama series The Wire.-Film and TV:...
as Billy Russoti / JigsawJigsaw (Marvel Comics)Jigsaw is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Throughout his many appearances, he has served as one of the Punisher's few recurring villains...
: A vain and image-obsessed MafiaMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
killer. By killing off the established gangsters, Punisher creates the opportunity for Jigsaw to become a boss. Paddy ConsidinePaddy ConsidinePatrick George "Paddy" Considine is an English actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, musician and frequent collaborator with Shane Meadows. Best known to audiences for his portrayals of dark, troubled, morally or mentally ambiguous characters...
was considered for the role of Jigsaw in the film, but the offer was retracted and given to West who had previously turned it down.. Freddie Prinze Jr. also auditioned for the role, but was refused by Lionsgate StudiosLionsgate StudiosLionsgate Studios was formerly a film studio. Acquired by Bosa Developments in 2006, the Studio is now named North Shore Studios. It is located in North Vancouver.- Some North Shore Studios' film and television productions :* Psych...
for accepting the part. - Dash MihokDash MihokDashiell "Dash" Mihok is an American actor.-Life and career:Mihok was born in New York City, New York, the son of actors Andrea and Raymond Thorne . He attended the Bronx High School of Science and was raised in Greenwich Village. While at the Bronx High School of Science, Dash played baseball as...
as Detective Martin SoapMartin SoapLieutenant Martin Soap is a fictional character, a police officer in the Marvel Comics universe. He served as a supporting character and comic relief for the Punisher throughout the character's 2000 miniseries and 2001 ongoing series. Soap first appeared in The Punisher Lieutenant Martin Soap is a...
: Head detective of the "Punisher Task Force". - Romano Orzari as Nicky Donatelli: An undercover FBI agent whose death is the catalyst for the events in the story.
- Julie BenzJulie BenzJulie M. Benz is an American actress, best known for her roles as Darla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Rita Bennett on Dexter, for which she won the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television...
as Angela Donatelli - Stephanie Janusauskas as Grace Donatelli
- Larry Day as FBI Agent Miller
- Ron LeaRon LeaRon Lea is a Canadian actor.Lea was born in Montreal and attended Concordia University before moving on to take acting training at the National Theatre School. His career took off after appearing in various local theatre productions. Lea can be seen in many movies on television, but may be most...
as NYPD Captain Ross - T. J. Storm as Maginty: Leader of an Urban FreeflowUrban freeflowUrban Freeflow is a UK based limited company that was started in 2003 and is active in the discipline of free-running.-Origins:...
gang. Maginty comes from the Punisher story arc "Kitchen Irish" and is an Irish gangster. - Mark CamachoMark CamachoMark Camacho is a Canadian actor who has starred in many films, and more notably, some voice acting roles, such as Oliver Frensky in Arthur, Lyle in Animal Crackers, Dad in Rotten Ralph, Harry and Dragon in Potatoes and Dragons, Spritz T...
as Pittsy: One of Jigsaw's goons. One of two henchmen originating from the Punisher story arc "In the Beginning". - Keram Malicki-SánchezKeram Malicki-SanchezKeram Malicki-Sánchez is a Canadian actor, singer, writer, new media guru, and music and film producer.-Early life & acting career:...
as Ink: One of Jigsaw's goons. One of two henchmen originating from the Punisher story arc "In the Beginning". - Carlos Gonzalez-vlo as Carlos Cruz: A former Latin KingsLatin KingsThe Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation is said to be the largest and most organized Hispanic street gang in the United States of America, which has its roots dating back to the 1940s in Chicago, Illinois.-History:...
gangbanger who is allied with Micro and Punisher. - David VadimDavid VadimDavid Vadim is a Ukrainian-born American actor who appeared in the movies Air Force One, Exit Wounds, G.I. Jane and Punisher: War Zone...
as Cristu Bulat: One of multiple villains originating from the Punisher story arc "The Slavers". - Aubert PallascioAubert PallascioAubert Pallascio is a Canadian actor. He is best known for having portrayed Pierre Trudeau in the 1980 film The Kidnapping of the President. He was nominated in 1996 for a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Liste noire .- External links :...
as Tiberiu Bulat: Cristu's father. One of multiple villains originating from the Punisher story arc "The Slavers". - Bjanka MurgelBjanka MurgelBjanka Murgel is a Canadian actress and model. She began her acting career in 2004 and since then has had several television and film roles, including that of Mylene on the television series Lost Girl and in a recurring role as Karina on The Latest Buzz...
as Arm Candy
2004
In February 2004, two months prior to The PunisherThe Punisher (2004 film)
The Punisher is a 2004 American comic book action film, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, starring Thomas Jane as the antihero Frank Castle / The Punisher and John Travolta as the villain Howard Saint, a money launderer who orders the death of Castle's entire family...
s theatrical debut, Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
announced the studio's intent to produce a sequel. Avi Arad
Avi Arad
Avi Arad is an Israeli-American businessman. He became the CEO of the company Toy Biz in the 1990s, and soon afterward became the chief creative officer of Marvel Entertainment, a Marvel director, chairman, CEO and the founder of Marvel Studios....
, chairman and CEO of Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios, originally Marvel Films, is an American television and motion picture studio based in Manhattan Beach, California. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, a self-contained part of the The Walt Disney Company conglomerate....
, expressed his interest in developing the franchise, saying that the second film would "become the fifth Marvel property to become a sequel." In March, the director of the first film, Jonathan Hensleigh
Jonathan Hensleigh
Jonathan Blair Hensleigh is an American screenwriter and film director, working primarily in the action/adventure genre of films.-Early life:...
, said that he was interested in working with Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane is an American actor known for his roles in the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, the 2001 TV film 61*, the 2004 film The Punisher and the 2007 Stephen King adaptation The Mist...
again for The Punisher 2. In April, Jane said that the villain for The Punisher 2 would be Jigsaw
Jigsaw (Marvel Comics)
Jigsaw is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Throughout his many appearances, he has served as one of the Punisher's few recurring villains...
. In November, Jane said that the studio was interested in making a sequel based on successful DVD sales of The Punisher and was developing the preliminary budget for the follow-up.
2005
In March 2005, Marvel StudiosMarvel Studios
Marvel Studios, originally Marvel Films, is an American television and motion picture studio based in Manhattan Beach, California. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, a self-contained part of the The Walt Disney Company conglomerate....
announced a 2006 theatrical release date for The Punisher 2. In April, Lions Gate Entertainment's CEO, Jon Feltheimer, confirmed at LGF's 2005 fiscal third quarter analyst call that the studio had completed its deal to develop The Punisher 2. Prior to July, Arad revealed that the script was being rewritten and that the sequel would start filming within the year. By July, Jane had put on an additional 12 pounds of muscle, and was hoping for filming to start in late-2006.
2006
In March 2006, The Punisher 2 was announced to be produced in Louisiana, being listed in the domestic charter under Louisiana's Secretary of State. In August, Marvel Entertainment revealed a new film slate that included The Punisher 2 on its partial list with production still to be determined. Thomas Jane said that the writer was halfway through a draft and that he believed filming would begin by February 2007. Jane confirmed that the villain JigsawJigsaw (Marvel Comics)
Jigsaw is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Throughout his many appearances, he has served as one of the Punisher's few recurring villains...
, first announced in April 2004, would be in the film. Jane also said that director Jonathan Hensleigh would not be returning to direct the sequel. In addition, Lions Gate Entertainment, amidst the studios returning to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, announced that The Punisher 2 would begin filming within the year. In October, Thomas Jane said the script was due in a couple of weeks, and that it would be "darker, bloodier and more unfriendly than the first one." In December, the screenplay was being rewritten by screenwriter Stuart Beattie
Stuart Beattie
Stuart Beattie is an Australian screenwriter and film director. He attended Knox Grammar School, in Sydney, Australia, where his mother, Sandra, was a languages teacher, and later Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.-Filmography:...
.
2007
It was announced that Kurt SutterKurt Sutter
Kurt Sutter is an American screenwriter, director, producer and actor. He worked as a producer, writer and director on The Shield, also appearing on the show as hitman Margos Dezerian. Sutter is also the creator of Sons of Anarchy on FX and writes, produces, directs and performs for the series,...
, a writer for The Shield
The Shield
The Shield is an American television drama series starring Michael Chiklis which premiered on March 12, 2002 on FX in the United States and concluded on November 25, 2008 after seven seasons...
, was involved with the script for The Punisher 2. Sutter said that he had an enjoyable time writing the script for the sequel and that it was going to be very true to the character. In a separate interview, Thomas Jane revealed that a new script had been turned in and everyone was hoping it would work out, as the lack of a good script had been holding up production. He further stated that if everything goes as planned then filming should begin in June or July, but shortly afterward, in a letter to Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
, Jane wrote that he had pulled out of the movie, stating:
In May 2007, director John Dahl
John Dahl
John Dahl is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the neo-noir genre.-Life and career:John Dahl was born in Billings, Montana, the second of four children . Dahl spent his young life in and around Montana all the way up through his college years...
was in talks to direct the movie, but decided not to helm the film, citing a bad script and lack of budget as reasons for passing. In June, it was announced that Lexi Alexander
Lexi Alexander
Lexi Alexander is a German film director and martial artist.-Career:In her childhood, she began kickboxing and karate. At the age of 19, she became world champion in both. She is represented by Endeavor Agency and Gotham Group in Los Angeles, United States.After this, she went to Hollywood...
would then take over the role as director as a result. In a December 2008 interview, Alexander revealed that when she first got the Punisher 2 script she passed on the project, but later changed her mind after reading the MAX adult Punisher comics, and getting assurances from Lionsgate that she could give the project a new look and feel – and cast a new actor in the central role of the Punisher.
On July 21, it was announced that actor Ray Stevenson
Ray Stevenson (actor)
George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson is a Northern Irish-born English film and television actor. He is known for playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome , and in film as Dagonet in King Arthur and as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone and The Super Hero Squad Show...
would play the Punisher in the sequel to the 2004 film. Filming was slated to begin in October 2007 in Montreal. In August, a working title for the film, The Punisher: Welcome Back Frank, was announced. On August 28, Lionsgate announced that the new working name for The Punisher 2 would be Punisher: War Zone. In mid-September, the director announced cast members joining Stevenson with Dash Mihok
Dash Mihok
Dashiell "Dash" Mihok is an American actor.-Life and career:Mihok was born in New York City, New York, the son of actors Andrea and Raymond Thorne . He attended the Bronx High School of Science and was raised in Greenwich Village. While at the Bronx High School of Science, Dash played baseball as...
as Detective Martin Soap, Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon is a British actor best known for playing the character Charles Robinson in three James Bond films.-Personal life:...
as Agent Paul Budiansky, and Doug Hutchison
Doug Hutchison
Doug Anthony Hutchison is an American actor, known for his roles in The Green Mile, as corrections officer Percy Wetmore, Eugene Victor Tooms in The X-Files, as Horace Goodspeed in Lost and as Davros in 24. He owns the production company Dark Water Inc.-Personal life:Hutchison was born in Dover,...
as Loony Bin Jim. It was announced on September 25 via The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
that Dominic West
Dominic West
Dominic Gerard Fe West is an English actor best known for his role as Detective Jimmy McNulty in the HBO drama series The Wire.-Film and TV:...
will star as the main antagonist, Jigsaw, and Wayne Knight
Wayne Knight
Wayne Eliot Knight is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor perhaps best known for his role as Newman in the TV sitcom Seinfeld...
will play the Punisher's armorer, Microchip
Microchip (comics)
David Linus "Microchip" Lieberman is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer Mike Baron and artist Klaus Janson, he first appeared in The Punisher #4 as an ally of The Punisher for many years. He assisted the Punisher by building weapons, supplying technology...
. Filming occurred from October 22 until December 14 in Montreal. Principal photography for Punisher: War Zone was completed on December 27.
2008
On February 14, 2008, writer Kurt Sutter officially removed his name from credit arbitration, stating:The film was set for a September 12, 2008, release, but was pushed back three months to December 5, 2008. A teaser trailer was released on June 12, 2008. On July 25, Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
wrote an article claiming that Lexi Alexander had been removed as the film's director. A second trailer was revealed to the public at the San Diego ComicCon on the same day. Alexander did not make an appearance at the convention, which caused speculation from the fans who attended the film's panel to question whether or not her name had been taken off the film. On August 15, website Latino Review reported that Lionsgate would be editing the film to receive a PG-13 rating. The director of photography, Steve Gainer, later claimed that the movie will be "R" and that Alexander is still on-board the project. On October 3, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
confirmed that Alexander was not fired from the movie, based on an official statement they received from Lionsgate. In a December 2008 interview, Alexander confirmed that she had had serious battles with Lionsgate, but denied that she was ever officially off the movie. "My name was never off, nor would I want it taken off, nor did I ever get a pink slip. The truth is that we had probably the same discussions that any other film has." Despite the much publicized discourse, Alexander says she is "extremely happy" with the final film:
Box office
On its opening weekend, Punisher: War Zone grossed $4 million in 2,508 theaters in the United States, ranking #8 at the box office. As of March 10, 2009, the film has grossed $8,050,977 domestically, making Punisher: War Zone the lowest grossing film based on a Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
property, right along with Elektra
Elektra (2005 film)
Elektra is a 2005 superhero film directed by Rob Bowman. It is a spin-off from the 2003 film Daredevil, starring the Marvel comics character Elektra Natchios . The story follows Elektra, an international assassin whose weapon of choice is a pair of sai.For the screenplay, Zak Penn, Stuart Zicherman...
and Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck (film)
Howard the Duck is a 1986 American science fiction comedy film directed by Willard Huyck and produced by George Lucas. It is loosely based on the Marvel comic book of the same name, created by Steve Gerber and quoting scripts by Bill Mantlo, the film focuses on Howard, an alien from a planet...
. This is mostly due to the film's R18+ rating. It has also grossed $2,049,059 internationally, bringing it to $10,100,036 worldwide.
Reception
Punisher: War Zone received negative reviews from film critics. On the film review aggregate website Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, the film received a 27% approval rating, based on 98 reviews, with an average rating of 4.3/10, with a 5% approval rating from top critics. The consensus is that "War Zone recalls the excessively violent, dialogue-challenged actioners of the 1980s, and coincidentally feels two decades out of date." Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
of the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
awarded the film 2 out of 4 stars, writing, "You used to be able to depend on a terrible film being poorly made. No longer. The Punisher: War Zone is one of the best-made bad movies I've seen." And that the film's only flaw is "that it's disgusting." Clark Collis writes that Ray Stevenson
Ray Stevenson (actor)
George Raymond "Ray" Stevenson is a Northern Irish-born English film and television actor. He is known for playing Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome , and in film as Dagonet in King Arthur and as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Punisher: War Zone and The Super Hero Squad Show...
's "character could be called the Not-Much-of-a-Learning Curveinator."
Felix Vasquez of Cinema Crazed, who loved the previous film version, gave Punisher: War Zone a positive review, claiming "War Zone is a better film." Edward Porter of the UK The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing, "Earning an 18 certificate with its violence, the film is kids’ stuff in all other respects: over-the-top shootouts, monstrous and barking-mad villains, a bumbling sidekick and so on. Highly enjoyable tosh." Victor Olliver of Teletext wrote, "This is as true to a Marvel comic tale as I've ever seen - gory, serious, intense, dark and utterly psychotic." Movie reporter Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
gave the film a positive review, writing that it is the "best Punisher movie by far. The action is satisfying and the dark story is close to the tone of its Marvel Comics source material."
Despite negative reviews, Punisher: War Zone has begun to take on a small cult following. Comedian Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Spencer Olchin in the popular sitcom The King of Queens, voicing Remy from the film Ratatouille and Thrasher from the Cartoon Network original series Robotomy.-Early life:Oswalt was born...
has been a vocal supporter of the film since its release, calling it "THE BEST time I've had at the movies this year." In October 2011, Oswalt hosted a screening of the film in Los Angeles with director Lexi Alexander, and the two discussed the film in episode 20 of Paul Scheer
Paul Scheer
Paul Christian Scheer is an American comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He co-created and starred in MTV's sketch comedy series Human Giant and currently co-stars as Andre on the FX comedy The League. He also currently stars as Trent Hauser on the Adult Swim show NTSF:SD:SUV:: which he created...
's podcast "How Did This Get Made?"
Home media
Punisher: War Zone was released on Region 1 DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on March 17, 2009. It was released on two different versions, a 2-disc special edition with a digital copy, and a standard version featuring both widescreen and fullscreen versions of the film. DVD sales for the film in North America (as of March 2010) was $10,454,076 in revenue from 576,151 units sold. In total, Punisher: War Zone has made $20,543,449 in box office and DVD sales, and while there are no figures yet for how much it made in DVD sales internationally, which could add to the overall figure, it is still significantly lower than the $115M amount 2004's Punisher
The Punisher (2004 film)
The Punisher is a 2004 American comic book action film, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, starring Thomas Jane as the antihero Frank Castle / The Punisher and John Travolta as the villain Howard Saint, a money launderer who orders the death of Castle's entire family...
movie made from box office and DVD sales.
Music
An original score to the film was composed by Michael Wandmacher. Wandmacher's primary focus in making the score was to "create a definitive musical identity for the Punisher. I knew I needed something dark, relentless and muscular, but I also couldn't forget Frank's humanity, his personal torment and deep sadness. So, I approached the job equally as a fan and as a composer." In order to make the character of Frank Castle seem less one dimensional, Wandmacher decided to include snare cadences and powerful, dynamic ostinatos and slowly rising string repetitions to mimic a relentless entity, like an approaching battalion. The score was orchestrated by Susie Benchasil and Tony BlondalTony Blondal
Tony Blondal, , is a film and television orchestrator and conductor, and record arranger. He started out his musical career playing live and doing studio recording sessions...
.
- "Main Titles" (3:03)
- "Lights On!" (1:10)
- "The Burden" (2:16)
- "Rich in Mercy" (1:05)
- "Death of the Loved" (1:25)
- "Infiltrate and Destroy" (2:49)
- "This Is Ground Zero" (2:10)
- "A Pretty Face" (2:21)
- "The Russians" (3:10)
- "A Call to Arms" (1:16)
- "Safe Harbor" (1:26)
- "A Wish for Death" (2:53)
- "Freeze!" (1:09)
- "Two Berettas" (2:00)
- "I Want My Applesauce Back" (2:37)
- "Held Hostage" (3:19)
- "Joyful Mayhem" (2:55)
- "Let the Games Begin" (4:24)
- "LBJ" (1:46)
- "Let Me Put You Out of Your Misery" (4:11)
- "Aftermath" (1:33)
Reboot
At the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel StudiosMarvel Studios
Marvel Studios, originally Marvel Films, is an American television and motion picture studio based in Manhattan Beach, California. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, a self-contained part of the The Walt Disney Company conglomerate....
head Kevin Feige said that the rights to the character had reverted to Marvel, which was interested in some form of TV or film adaptation.