A new look at Ma Gnucci, the crime boss of the Gnucci crime family, and Jon Bernthal‘s Punisher has been spotted face to face on the set of Marvel’s Punisher special presentation in New York City.
In the image, the first look at Ma Gnucci is revealed, but the actress’s name has not yet been confirmed. There are rumors that Chloë Sevigny is playing the role, though nothing is confirmed yet.
In Marvel Comics, Ma Gnucci is the ruthless head of the Gnucci crime family in New York City. She first appeared in The Punisher Vol. 4 #4 (2000), in the “Welcome Back, Frank” storyline by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. After surviving a series of attacks — including being thrown into a pack of polar bears at the zoo — she loses her arms and legs and ends up confined to a wheelchair.
The special is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green from a screenplay by Green and Bernthal, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Punisher. It is set within the MCU’s continuity, alongside the films and television series of the franchise.
Bernthal will reprise his role as Frank Castle / Punisher, with Jason R. Moore also returning as Curtis Hoyle from The Punisher. Roe Rancell has been cast in an undisclosed role.
In a statement, Marvel’s head of streaming, Brad Winderbaum, said, “It’s like a shotgun blast of a story, but also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story.” He added, “It’s so exciting.”
Winderbaum said the idea for a standalone Punisher story was developed during the production of Born Again Season 1. “Bernthal is a generational actor,” Winderbaum added. “He’s incredible—what he brings to all the roles he plays, but particularly Frank Castle. And he’s a great writer. He knows the character inside and out… Also, I love Punisher, but I love Jon’s Punisher in particular. The idea that he’s in the MCU and can bring that to the greater universe, especially the more grounded, street-level stuff, is a huge opportunity and, as a fan, the greatest thing ever.”
Recently, Marvel President Kevin Feige revealed what the version of the Punisher appearing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be like:
“When Punisher is in the Spider-Man movie, it’ll be a different tonality. We are seeing, for the first time in the Tom Holland Spider-Man stories, him being a proper Spider-Man—being by himself, dedicated to saving the city, and dealing with, for lack of a better term, street-level crime, as opposed to world-ending events.”
Produced by Marvel Studios, the Punisher special presentation will be released on Disney+ in 2026, alongside Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, as part of Phase Six of the MCU.
