Marvel’s The Punisher dropped its second season last Friday on Netflix but the joy and excitement for new episodes is clouded by one question: Will The Punisher be the next Marvel show to be cancelled?
Once upon a time, Netflix was the perfect place for Marvel’s street-level stories that were too small and gritty for their cinematic universe. Netflix became Marvel’s other small screen home, at one time touting five individual shows and a teamup miniseries.
That brief golden age is over, Disney has an upcoming streaming service on the horizon, three of the original shows (Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist) have been cancelled, and only Jessica Jones and The Punisher are left standing.
Jeph Loeb, the head of Marvel TV and an executive producer for The Punisher, made it clear in a recent Entertainment Weekly interview that the fate of the show is completely out of his hands:
“We would love [a third season], and nothing would make us happier than to work with those talented writers and crew. As I have repeatedly said, it is not our decision. We are ready to go and would love to do so. It is Netflix’s call to make”.
When asked about what a possible third season would be about Loeb said, “We have a whole story in mind that would be awesome, but again, the guns are locked and loaded, but Netflix has the finger on the trigger.”
The second season of The Punisher is now streaming on Netflix.
