Well thank goodness. As most of you know by now there is yet another incarnation of The Punisher heading to the big screen. This time Thomas Jane is out (he walked out on the project after not liking the script) and HBO’s “Rome” star Ray Stevenson is in as Frank. The movie (for a short time) had one of the most HORRIBLE titles ever. Up until today it was going to be called “Punisher: Welcome Back Frank”. Yes, I’m very aware that this was the title for one of the comic book’s story lines… but just because something is used in a comic book, doesn’t mean it will work, or should be used in a movie. They’re two different mediums.
Anyway, today there is good news (although let’s face it… the title of a film isn’t really all that important when you boil it down… but still). Seems someone at the studio reads The Movie Blog and woke up to the utter ridiculousness of the title they had, and have now changed it to “Punisher: War Zone“. The folks at Superherohype give us this:
Lionsgate has a new title for Lexi Alexander’s Punisher movie starring Ray Stevenson — Punisher: War Zone. The new film will be set in New York, where Frank Castle (Stevenson) runs up against a mobster. The project will mark the third screen incarnation for “The Punisher,” which originated in a comic book about Castle, a Marine-turned-vigilante who is driven by a desire to avenge the murder of his family after they witness a gangland killing.
I’m not really sure how much hope I have for this film. Thomas Jane LOVE being The Punisher… and for years he’s been the biggest cheerleader for getting another film going. For him to walk away from it is NOT a good sign. Still, I’m a sucker for these films so I’ll be there opening day… I just hope I don’t regret it.
