Why Jon Bernthal Wasn’t on Spider-Man 4 Set for a Long Time

The excitement around Spider-Man: Brand New Day keeps building, and a new rumor teased “insane” fight sequences involving Spider-Man, the Punisher, and the Hulk.

Most of Punisher’s Spider-Man 4 fights rumored to be shot by stuntmen

A fresh post from well-known scooper MyTimeToShineHello on November 26 on X (formerly Twitter) claimed, “They filmed what was described to me as INSANE fight scenes between Spidey, Punisher, and Hulk.”

The rumor further suggested that Jon Bernthal’s involvement in the physical filming may be brief, noting, “How most of Jon’s scenes are stuntmen and he actually only films in person for a very short while, like a few weeks.”

This heavy reliance on stunt performers for the Punisher’s scenes strongly implies that Frank Castle will be at the crux of some of the film’s most intense and dangerous fight sequences. It makes practical sense; a brutal, close-quarters fight against a rampaging Hulk would require extensive and complex stunt work, far beyond what a lead actor typically performs. This rumor aligns perfectly with the grounded, street-level tone the film is expected to embrace, while also promising the kind of large-scale superhero action that defines the MCU.

While the plot is officially under wraps, strong theories suggest Tom Holland’s Spider-Man will reluctantly team up with Jon Bernthal’s Punisher to face a common, colossal enemy: a savage Hulk. Mark Ruffalo is confirmed to return as Bruce Banner and his emerald alter-ego, whose potential loss of control could create the perfect storm for a street-level crisis in New York City. This would pit Spider-Man’s morality and the Punisher’s lethal methods against one of the MCU’s most powerful beings.

Recent set photos shared by themarvelshow_ on Instagram also show Punisher pointing a gun at Spider-Man through a glass window while the hero crouches on top of Castle’s car. The tense visual strongly suggests the two characters won’t start as allies. Instead, fans may see them clash before forming a reluctant team-up—mirroring their complicated comic-book relationship.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31, 2026.

Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on SuperHeroHype.