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SDCC 08 - The Punisher: War Zone Panel CREDIT: |
Only a half an hour long, there was no way that the panel for the upcoming Punisher: War Zone movie at this year's San Diego Comic-Con could have been anything but explosive. In a short amount of time, the hall was packed to capacity for even a glimpse of the new movie from Lionsgate and Marvel Studios.
Things were kept quick and lively as Producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Incredible Hulk) and stars Ray Stevenson (Rome) and Julie Benz (Rambo, Dexter, Angel) were introduced to applause. Hurd promised fans something new, something classic and closer to the comics than we've seen before with the film. "Marvel and Lionsgate really understand and listen when the fans speak," said Hurd, who noted that they realized fans wanted a Punisher that cued more closely to the comic series, and they chose to base their storyline off the popular Marvel MAX line of comics for "ruthless, ultra-violence, vigilante justice". Fans know a Frank Castle is a New York city guy, they set the movie in classic NYC, Hurd said. Fans wanted a new Frank Castle, 'someone who came straight out of the comic book' and Ray Stevenson was cast. Looking a lot different than his 'Pullo' role in Rome and fitting the bill of a classic Tim Bradstreet Punisher cover, Stevenson was humble and spoke highly of the people who trained him and the mindset of a man who faces down his opponents with an intent to kill without mercy. He sad that he was enamored with the Garth Ennis stories he read when looking into the part, though certainly disturbed by the ruthlessness. When he found that it wasn't glamorized and there's certainly a price to pay for all of this, he couldn't put it down. "You don't want to be Frank Castle, but you're glad he's there," noted Stevenson.