And the new Punisher is...

[Carlo Comicus]

Ray who?

 

[Advanced Dark]

Can someone find a youtube click of this guy acting??? He no doubt looks the part but I'm not familiar with him at all. Maybe that's a good thing? I can't say anything negative about this production yet.

 

[PROLIFIK1]

Wack....I feel bad for Jane, he seemed a lot more dedicated for the role. Wish he would of stayed.

 

[Colossus24]

Really nothing negative?? Like the fact that they don't have the time, money, or attitude(on the studios part), to make a decent film. Not to mention they managed to drive away a guy who most fans thought embraced and embodied the role as well as almost any actor in a comic book movie.

 

[Advanced Dark]

^ Colossus LGF has the Punisher rights and they're making the movie. We all know that. We also all know it's a low budget franchise at LGF and always will be as long as they have the rights. Now if we can put all of that aside the director seems like a solid choice, and the actor appears to fit the role. I don't know enough about him yet to say if he's good or bad. He could be better than Jane or much worse. None of that will matter if the movie sucks. I'm gonna give everyone the benefit here. The budget apparently won't be eaten up by actors huge paychecks like Travolta.

Let's see how it pans out. I'm not "un-sold" on this film yet.

 

[daveuk64]

Found this biography for Ray Stevenson over at Wikapedia

Ray Stevenson (born George Raymond Stevenson May 25, 1964) is a British film and television actor.

Born in Northern Ireland, he moved with his family to Lemington, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England in 1972, and later to Cramlington, Northumberland, where he was raised. The second of three sons of a Royal Air Force pilot, Stevenson, as a child, dreamt of becoming an actor but thought the dream impossible to achieve. So he pursued his other love, art, and went to art school instead. He was an interior designer with an architectural firm in London when he at 25 decided to try out acting. Eventually he attended Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating at the age of 29.

He is perhaps best known for playing the character of legionary Titus Pullo in the BBC/HBO television series Rome. He shares the lead starring role in the series with Kevin McKidd. His portrayal of Pullo's fierce and loyal character and the character´s development and adaptation to the changing circumstances of life and history has won both critical and public acclaim. Ray Stevenson has recently finished filming Outpost for director Steve Barker.

Stevenson has also starred in other films, primarily in supporting roles, like the part of Dagonet, the knight who sacrifices his life for his comrades in King Arthur in 2004. His first big screen movie role was in The Theory of Flight (1998) with Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter, where he played the part of a gigolo hired to help the character played by Bonham Carter to lose her virginity.

His TV-work includes guest appearances in popular TV series like Waking the Dead and Murphy's Law as well as lead roles in City Central and At Home with the Braithwaites. He has also appeared in several TV movies such as Some Kind of Life in 1995, in which he co-starred with Jane Horrocks, and The Return of the Native, which also featured Catherine Zeta Jones. Some of his earliest parts were in two Catherine Cookson movies: The Dwelling Place (1994) and The Tide of Life (1996).

His stage work includes playing the part of Christ in the York Mystery Plays in 2000 at York Minster. In 2001 he took the part of Roger in the play Mouth to Mouth by Kevin Elyot, at the Albery Theatre in London with Lindsay Duncan and Michael Maloney. His most well-known part is perhaps that of the Cardinal in The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster with Janet McTeer at the Royal National Theatre in 2003.

His love of art and his capabilities as an artist was demonstrated when he participated in the television programme Watercolour Challenge in 2001, where he together with actors Cherie Lunghi and Malcolm Tierney painted watercolours of Blenheim Palace.

Stevenson was married in 1997 to actress Ruth Gemmell, who he met when they worked together on the TV drama Band of Gold (1995). They later played a husband and wife on screen in Peak Practice (1997).The couple divorced after eight years of marriage.


And to top it off he's a fellow Geordie. "YESSSSS"

 

[Gianakin_]

I don't understand why people say he doesn't look tough.
Thomas Jane looked much wimpier in Deep Blue Sea, Sweetest Thing or in normal photos than this guy does (respectively in normal photos). Still, they managed to make him look tough as hell in the Punisher. I'm sure Stevenson can be made to look as tough (if not more, he already looks tougher than Jane).
As for dedication? He just signed on, guys. How can you expect him to be as dedicated as Jane? Speaking of whom, he wasn't THAT much in love with the character when he signed on for the 1st film.
I'm not saying I like Stevenson more or less than Jane, but it seems you're not giving him any chance at all- or the movie. I say he LOOKS like a good choice. Let's see more of him (promo shots from the movie) and then we can judge him validly.
Same thing for the movie, we know nothing yet to say that this one is gonna be crap or great.

 

[swifty]

PULLO? REALLY?

He was absolutely perfect for Rome but he has that nice guy disposition to play the part of Frank Castle. I just can't picture him as The Punisher.

"THIRTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN"

 

[patrickbateman]

yeah he's more of a supporing actor.


then again so was butler

"THIRTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN"

 

[SWAT]

I'm not going to say anything. I haven't seen him act, I've not seen anything of Lexis work either and I've not read the script. I'm going to put on my positive pants... and try and stay optimistic.

I'm going to miss Jane... Cause, let's face it. He IS! Frank Castle. LGF are making the movie, there's nothing we can do. Let's hope they're making a good movie.

 

[S_H_F_4839]

I'm not going to say anything. I haven't seen him act, I've not seen anything of Lexis work either and I've not read the script. I'm going to put on my positive pants... and try and stay optimistic.

I'm going to miss Jane... Cause, let's face it. He IS! Frank Castle. LGF are making the movie, there's nothing we can do. Let's hope they're making a good movie.

thats sort of the way I am looking at it, hopefully optimistic, I just wonder what all they will change because if they don't change something it doesn't say much for the director.

 

[Carlo Comicus]

But this news it's officially confirmed?

 

[Buttruffage]

The Jane Punisher left a ton to be desired. That comedic scene with the Russian was a direct slap in the face to all the realism they'd built up and he stabbed the guy through the heart without fazing him. They could have at least made him stab the other side to salvage some believability. And he built a kickass ride that got destroyed before he even cut loose with it. The casting of Titus Pullo to take over the roll is the best thing that could happen to Punisher short of reconsidering Walter "The Warriors" Hill as director.

 

[kamillon66]

Man I'm not sure about this movie without Thomas Jane as The Punisher.

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

I like a lot the guy. He proved in Rome that he has a good acting range. He can be mean and vulnerable, and he's a huge guy.Those who never saw him in the series, try to find the Rome episode where he slaughters gladiators in an area.
Thirteen!!!

http://www.ray-stevenson.com/

 

[rezlifeguru]

Going with relative unknowns/art-house actors has worked out well for Marvel's more successful franchises. Don't throw this guy under the bus quite yet. He was one of the better characters in King Arthur and Rome and will look the part once they get him in the gym for a couple of months. Cautiously optimistic.

 

[Kable24]

Well this movie is going in the crapper for sure. I'm not impressed with their replacement. Come on Marvel shut this crap down.

 

[odiin]

Eh, not exactly Thomas Jane, but he'll do.

The important thing to me is the voice. I loved Thomas Jane as the Punisher. I thought he looked great, but there was room for improvement, but what he did better, than what I think anyone else could was the voice. The way he sounded in the film and in the game was EXACTLY the way I imagine the Punisher to sound, and that voice will either make or break it for me with this new kid right here.

Pretty cool that they're going all "MAX" on us and giving us an older Punisher, though.

 

[antmanx68]

Wow, this is unexpected. I really like him as an actor, Titus Pullo is my hero. He's not my first second or even third choice for Punisher but I definitely think if he is cast its a step in the right direction, he's more than capable.

 

[Sugarculted]

Well this movie is going in the crapper for sure. I'm not impressed with their replacement. Come on Marvel shut this crap down.

Indeed it is. I'll miss Jane immensely

 

[rogue trooper]

Ray Stevenson semi-reminds me of Ariel Olivetti's Punisher.

 

[SWAT]

[YT]GvDfsjIuf34[/YT]

WARNING: BLOODY!

 

[Punitore]

Eh, not exactly Thomas Jane, but he'll do.

The important thing to me is the voice. I loved Thomas Jane as the Punisher. I thought he looked great, but there was room for improvement, but what he did better, than what I think anyone else could was the voice. The way he sounded in the film and in the game was EXACTLY the way I imagine the Punisher to sound, and that voice will either make or break it for me with this new kid right here.

Pretty cool that they're going all "MAX" on us and giving us an older Punisher, though.

..the italian dubbing of thomas jane was crap i should see it again in original language ..but the fact is i didn't like the movie anyway. it looks like they have to do these movies at any cost, they would cast an actress for the punisher's role if no actor wouldn't be interested, just to make it... why don't they just let the punisher be ..like they did with daredevil, one movie is enough and if you can't make another one better than the first and you lost the main actor, just don't do it..

 

[odiin]

WARNING: BLOODY!

Well the voice officially gets my seal of approval.

Sad to see Jane go, but I'm good with this guy as his replacement.

 

[A Dark Knight]

I watched Rome (THIRTEEEEEEEEEENNNNN) and King Arthur and in both he kicked some a**, he is a good actor, he will get in the gym and get pumped up to look the part, so I will give this movie a chance for sure.