Every Live-Action Version Of Marvel's The Punisher, Ranked

He's one of the most formidable, dangerous, and fearsome heroes in the Marvel universe, armed with nothing but his wits and a weapons cache suitable for a small army. He's faced off against the likes of Spider-Man, Wolverine, and even Ghost Rider, so it's safe to say it's tough being The Punisher. Currently, only four men can attest to the title in live-action film and television. Since 1989, these stars have dared don the iconic superhero costume of cargo pants, a black t-shirt, and a trenchcoat long before Neo made them cool in "The Matrix." The question is, which portrayal emerges battered, bloodied, and superior to the rest?

As the heat begins to rise with the return of Matt Murdock in "Daredevil: Born Again" (watch the trailer here), it's only right to shine a light on the man he's battled, not only in the former Netflix show but also on several occasions in the comic book universe, leaving both men a little worse for wear. Some die-hard fans of Frank Castle's methods of justice might prefer one specific iteration of The Punisher while straight-up loathing another version that completely missed the mark. Therefore, it's only fair that we put in our one batch, two batch, penny, and dime to break down our favorite live-action versions of The Punisher, including the version so bad that it's basically punishing to watch.

Like Frank, after enduring an absolute pummelling from the bad guys of the Marvel universe, it's best to rip the worst one off like a band-aid first. That unfortunate honor goes to Dolph Lundgren in the 1989 film "The Punisher," directed by Mark Goldblatt. 

Skimming right by Frank's origin story, the film saw the gun-loving hero five years into his career, acting almost like Batman, hiding out in the sewers, and only visiting the surface to take down gang lords and low-lives. The fifth film in his career after entries like "Rocky IV" and "Red Scorpio," Lundgren still hadn't quite cracked the acting code in his turn as Marvel's one-man army, but that's not to say there aren't some redeeming qualities.

Bringing more physical dominance and a dead-eyed demeanor to the character, Lundgren is pretty intimidating as the human wrecking ball. He's also almost too perfect, with a diamond-cut physique that cemented Lundgren's as a Hollywood action star and not the worn-down hero we know Frank to be. Adding in the ex-cop element with his military background also feels unnecessary. 

Be that as it may, what can't be denied is some of the terrific dialogue that's aged like a fine wine. Standouts include when Frank is asked, "What the f**k do you call 125 murders in 5 years?" The vigilante replies, "A work in progress." Nevertheless, the film suffers from the hokey action sequences of its era that simply don't hold up next to the other Punishers on this list. While the 1989 might be a cult favorite, that's all it deserves to be.

For a time, imagining The Punisher in live-action meant picturing Thomas Jane from the 2004 film. Once again, Frank's origin story gets tweaked, transforming him into an undercover FBI agent, with work leading to the brutal demise of his family, including Frank Castle Sr., played by the legendary Roy Scheider. Thus begins Frank's mission of vengeance as he sets his sights on crime boss Howard Saint (John Travolta) and his family.

While it doesn't skimp on the violence (Frank's fight with Kevin Nash's Russian remains great, even if the wrestling star was actually stabbed during the process), Jane's Castle portrays a much more manipulative Punisher in dismantling his enemies. He doesn't get his hands as dirty as they could be, instead manipulating Saint's right-hand man (Will Patton) and leading the mob boss to turn on his own wife. Nevertheless, while 2004 feels tamer than some fans might've hoped, plans were made for Jane to return for a sequel, but it never materialized.

The closest we can get is the brilliant 2012 short film "Punisher: Dirty Laundry," which featured him alongside Ron Perlman. Facing off against some gnarly gang members, Castle takes them out with a bottle of Jack Daniels in a limb-snapping, face-smashing style that aligns perfectly with what we expect from The Punisher. It's truly a shame that we never get to see more of a character that Jane holds dear to his heart.

Throughout his time in the Marvel universe, Frank Castle has disposed of characters, heroes and villains alike, in some extremely grisly fashions. That's what fans of "The Punisher" have come to expect with the Marvel hero who is anything but super, and with Ray Stevenson's iteration, that's precisely what they got. Deemed by /Film's Jacob Hall as "the definitive Frank Castle," the version of the character in "Punisher: War Zone" is Jason Voorhees for organized crime, ripping through bad guys like paper and leaving every room like an explosion at the Heinz ketchup factory.

There's a lot less time spent on the emotional weight that often cuts through Castle and what Jane's version spent battling in the previous film. Instead, Stevenson is simply a killing machine shooting, stabbing, and blowing scenes to smithereens. From punching through a guy's head to swinging from a chandelier, which we can neither confirm nor deny was the inspiration for Sia's 2014 banger of a pop song, Stevenson's take on Castle is the no-nonsense but borderline nonsensical version of The Punisher.

While not quite the hit during its initial release, this is the over-the-top comic book version fans had been waiting for. It's also a version that Stevenson made sure not to sugarcoat when it came to the violence unleashed by The Punisher. As the late actor rightfully explained to Collider, "You don't want to be Frank. It's strange to have the sort of lead or hero of a film that you don't actually want to be."  True, and you don't want to be on the receiving end, either.

There are some heroes we can no longer imagine being portrayed by anyone else. Robert Downey Jr. is Iron Man. Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool. Charlie Cox is Daredevil. These are examples of perfect casting for beloved characters. There is no doubt, then, that in 2016, Jon Bernthal donned Frank Castle's skull-covered shirt and earned the right never to take it off. 

Debuting in the second season of "Daredevil," the former star of "The Walking Dead" included every missing element from his predecessors, mixing it into a damaged and lethal hero that made you wince every time he went to work on someone. Not only did he deliver the best live-action Punisher, but he created one of the most incredible adaptations of a comic book character ever.

Granted, Bernthal spends much more time with the character than all the Castles that came before him. As a result, it allows us to understand Frank's way of thinking, and as much as Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) dislikes witnessing it, the reasoning behind his actions becomes apparent. It allows us to accept seeing The Punisher explode repeatedly, whether in bullets, brawls, or through wonderfully written dialogue in a witness box. He's an unstoppable force, and most importantly, he's constantly portrayed as nothing more than a mortal man. That's the key distinction between Bernthal's Punisher and those that came earlier. His Frank is a walking bruise that never heals, and Bernthal sells the dark and heartbreaking truth that we know he never will.