Should they make another Punisher movie? - Part 1

[Blackman]

I dont get the mentality of The GA doesnt really want the character that much so let's turn it into a movie

If it wont work as a movie because the ga doesnt want him I dont really see how a TV would be better

[CrimsonMist]

Originally Posted by storyteller

Honestly I though Thomas Jane punisher was good and Warzone was really good. I honestly don't understand why people hate it so much. Punisher though I think just isn't a character the general audience wants right now. Really he's a guy who kills deserving criminals. Not much to really chew on. Frank isn't going to change during the films. I think Punisher would work better as a tv series then a movie.

Batman is a guy who beats up deserving criminals.
Daredevil is a blind guy who beats up criminals.
Spider-Man is a smart-ass who beats up criminals.

The most general, vague statements one could make about any character. The story is what makes the character. Until we get a good story, and as long as story comes first(War Zone's problem: 80's over the top action before story), you'll get something good.

[BillPardy]

I think there's also the problem of the Punisher has been written in several different fashions and its hard to find a good mix.

[Punisher_MAX]

if The Punisher got a TDK treatment and had someone smart to write the script then it could be an amazing action/crime thriller.

[Punisher_MAX]

if The Punisher got a TDK treatment and had someone smart to write the script then it could be an amazing action/crime thriller.

[Keyser Soze]

I think it's probably "3 strikes and you're out" for The Punisher. Whether it's fair or not, the franchise must surely be considered box office poison at this stage.

[Punisher_MAX]

if Batman can come back from Batman and Robin then im sure The Punisher can too.

[S. Grundy]

Yeah, there's no "3 strikes and your out" with the Punisher, if there is you better tell Marvel that. Because they are doing something with the character, whether it is going to be another theatrical film or TV series.

[Keyser Soze]

Originally Posted by Punisher_MAX

if Batman can come back from Batman and Robin then im sure The Punisher can too.

Yeah, but imagine if they rebooted after Batman & Robin... and they made another Batman & Robin. Then they rebooted AGAIN.... and they made ANOTHER Batman & Robin.

[Blackman]

Yeah Keyser is more correct I think

I cant imagine another Punisher for 5 years at best. and that's 5 years after Avengers

[~†~§iX~†~]

Originally Posted by storyteller

Punisher though I think just isn't a character the general audience wants right now. Really he's a guy who kills deserving criminals. Not much to really chew on. Frank isn't going to change during the films. I think Punisher would work better as a tv series then a movie.

I think the problem, especially with the last two films, is that they are trying to aim for the general market. This kind of character appeals to a niche market, who would rather have effort thrown into the script than a large budget to pay for blank ammunition and lots of explosions.

Two films over the last few years that are similar enough to the Punisher, made money at the box office and gained critical praise are Gran Torino and Harry Brown. Granted, Harry Brown's box office worldwide was only 10 million, but it took 7 million to make and was noticed by many reputable critics with high praise. Gran Torino, with a budget not too disimilar from Jane's Punisher, took in nearly 150 million domestically. Punisher War Zone was released the same year and scraped in only 8 million domestically. So, there was an audience that wanted to see a veteran taking law and order into his own hands in the cinema in 2008, but Lionsgate massively misjudge them.

[Punisher_MAX]

Originally Posted by Keyser Soze

Yeah, but imagine if they rebooted after Batman & Robin... and they made another Batman & Robin. Then they rebooted AGAIN.... and they made ANOTHER Batman & Robin.

the 04 movie was actually damn good and did really good in DVD sales and didnt do bad vs Kill Bill when it came out so there IS potential.

WarZone, as funny and awesome as it was when it wanted to be, was a poorly made movie. you cant expect to make a **** movie and expect good things.

The Punisher CAN be succesful and after watching the 04 a lot more as of late i can totally buy Marvel getting it right.

[Marvel]

Originally Posted by Punisher_MAX

the 04 movie was actually damn good and did really good in DVD sales and didnt do bad vs Kill Bill when it came out so there IS potential.

WarZone, as funny and awesome as it was when it wanted to be, was a poorly made movie. you cant expect to make a **** movie and expect good things.

The Punisher CAN be succesful and after watching the 04 a lot more as of late i can totally buy Marvel getting it right.

Leaving the fanboy stuff aside and judging them as whole films, Punisher 2004 was excellent and War Zone was a flaming turd of the highest order. War Zone was so bad that I was actually embarrassed walking out of the cinema after viewing it.

So, Marvel should simply ignore War Zone and look in to a direct to DVD release for a Thomas Jane sequel. There's money to be made in direct to DVD content. They could even spin that off in to a cable TV series if done right.

[Blackman]

A direct to DVD sequel is horrible. WHy would they waste resources (no matter how small) on such a low venture. A tv show is much better than that and Im not even that big of a fan of the TV show idea

People let 04 go.

Its been 4 years. Jane has moved on, the studio has moved on, most of the audience moved on. You guys really think the key to renew a dead/dying franchise is to bring back the old talent that helped bring it to the low point it is now? C'mon guys, even for a fanboy dream expecting a sequel to a film that wasnt even that successful critically or commercially is extremely ridiculous.

[CrimsonMist]

Originally Posted by Blackman

People let 04 go.

Its been 4 years. Jane has moved on, the studio has moved on, most of the audience moved on. You guys really think the key to renew a dead/dying franchise is to bring back the old talent that helped bring it to the low point it is now? C'mon guys, even for a fanboy dream expecting a sequel to a film that wasnt even that successful critically or commercially is extremely ridiculous.

I don't know where you've been, but in just about every recent interview with Tom Jane, including one from this past summer, The Punisher is brought up and he seems rather determined to make the best possible Punisher film he can. Hell, in the interview from the summer, he talked about how he'd handle the Battle Van, pretty much saying he'd open the film with a huge prison riot in which Frank Castle steals a SWAT van and turns it into his traveling arsenal. There's no doubt in my mind that, if asked, Jane would return in an instant.

Not to mention, the '04 film hardly helped bring the franchise to this low-point. That was War Zone. As for it not being commercially successful? Worldwide, The Punisher made a about $55 million dollars. It had a total budget, including payment to the actors, about $30 million and when all the payments were taken out, a budget of about $15 million. It did financially well for an action film. Then you add in the DVD sales, of which the film made $60 million. Total, this film made about $115 million. Which is actually really damn good.

Now, Marvel probably won't ask Tom Jane back in any capacity. But it's nowhere near the pipe dream you make it out to be.

I wasn't able to vote on the poll, but I think a reboot would be fantastic. The existing DD, nnnnnot so great. I'm sure they can find ONE white guy fat enough to portray Fisk.

[Alchemyst]

Honestly, with the way things are going with Marvel and their films, they should just reboot the Punisher altogether. I would like to see the same type of violence as it was in War Zone, but a more well thought out plot. Ray Stevenson was ok as the Punisher, but I think they could have found someone else.

[Team Andino]

Well last I heard Lionsgate let the Punisher rights go back to Marvel and they claim there doing something for the character. I imagine it would be a TV show at this point. I'd like to see it get it's own show on Showtime or something and let its audience grow. I'll just be happy to see The Punisher moving in any sort of positive direction ever since War Zone it's been a painful wait at the bottom of the barrel.

[Punisher_MAX]

I wouldnt be opposed to bringing Jane back as Frank in a show or another movie.

[Kal-Elder]

Yes
They should do a reboot as non of the films were that fantastic . War Zone to me was a fun ultra violent action move and the best out of the bunch. 2004 was a mess and 89 didn't really feel like the comics but still worked as a low budget crime movie.
I wouldn't mind a loose sequel to War Zone with Ray returning as he really captured the Castle character but an unknown would suit me fine if they re-told it all over again.
They should take inspiration from his early guest appearances and the MAX line and make an awesome no holds barred gritty crime move, think a more brutal Death Wish with the Punisher stalking the streets of New York instead of Florida and with less colours.
You can get a ****ing good film out of The Punisher if you hire a script writer and a director who know how the character works.

There is plenty of potential to the character yet none of the film really understood this.

[Artistsean]

They should, this time show that his family (wife and son) was killed by some random drugged up killer on the streets, leading him to kill any bad guy he comes in contact with. Have him wear a black shirt with a white skull on it, don't have to explain why.

[LuisTX85]

I'd sure love a TV show for Punisher!,As long as it's on HBO or Starz.(There the only two networks that I think would not water it very down,and actually keep the extreme violence/language/some gore)

[Lord]

I liked the 2004 version but i think it would work better on tv

[Doc Ock]

All I want is another Punisher with Tom Jane.

[S. Grundy]

Originally Posted by LuisTX85

I'd sure love a TV show for Punisher!,As long as it's on HBO or Starz.(There the only two networks that I think would not water it very down,and actually keep the extreme violence/language/some gore)

Not really, I mean look at AMC and The Walking Dead that pushes the boundaries of gore on TV, hell it's more violent than Masters of Horror ever was and that was on Showtime. Language that's shouldn't be a deal breaker it could always just be bleeped and released uncensored on DVD.

A Punisher TV series that isn't on HBO could actually be good, if you don't get hung up on juvenile things like gore/swearing/nidity.