Marvel Reportedly Wants Female Villain For 'Punisher' MCU Special

Screen Geek

26-05-2025

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally circling back to Jon Bernthal's Punisher. The character previously appeared in several Netflix shows including his own Punisher series, before being scrapped in a move by Marvel Studios, and he was later reintroduced with Daredevil: Born Again . Jon Bernthal reprised his role for the reintroduction and he'll be doing so again for an upcoming Disney Plus Punisher special, one that is reportedly casting a female villain.
With that said, it's worth noting that Marvel Studios has yet to confirm this news, so it should be taken with a grain of salt at this time. Though the report comes from an insider who has certainly shared some truths in the past. And, if the series wanted to explore Frank Castle's other villains, this could be a good way to do so.
Specifically, Daniel Richtman claims that the series is in the midst of casting a 'female crime boss villain.' There are definitely a number of characters that could fit this role, especially within the Punisher mythos, though there is one character that many fans are expecting this could be.
Fans believe this female villain could be the comic book character Isabella Carmela Magdalena Gnucci. For short, however, the character is often referred to as 'Ma Gnucci.' She appeared in Garth Ennis' Marvel Knights run and has been a fan-favorite recurring villain for Frank Castle aka The Punisher in the years since.
Though that's speculative, and much like the aforementioned report, should be taken with an additional grain of salt. Either way, we should have more concrete information soon, as the new Punisher special is being scheduled for a release next year.
The Punisher 'Special Presentation' will be released in 2026 alongside Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. As we approach 2026, more details for these projects should be coming our way, so stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates as we have them.