Punisher on the fast track! (and TMNT on the back burner)

[J.R.]

From Cinescape Online:

Our good friends at Comics2Film have done yeoman’s work by listening in to Avi Arad, CEO of Marvel Studios as he gave investors and financial types a conference call report on the state of financial affairs in the second quarter of 2002.


Why should you care?


Because as part of the call, Arad touched on upcoming projects, and revealed activity on the long-discussed PUNISHER big screen adventure is much further along than many had dared hope.


"We're feverishly working on THE PUNISHER," Arad was quoted. He also reported he, currently working on the project with producing studio Artisan Entertainment, hoped to have the film, about Marvel’s most famous gun toting vigilante, in theaters in 2004. He also revealed the studio is going the BLADE route, and having the film be R rated.

On the same page it is reported that John Woo's Ninja Turtles adaption has been shelved, due to studio apathy. It probably also has something to do with Windtalkers' box office returns,

[J.R.]

And I shall smite the first person to suggest Nicolas Cage as Frank Castle.

[Flangepart]

Smite them, snite them! Next they'll be recommending Paul Rubens! Maby as a supporting villian, but......................................................................................................................

[Drezzy]

I'd like to see Edward Norton as Frank Castle...






...






...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!~ But you know he'd rule as Frank...

Knowing studios, they'll be saying "hello, Mr. Diesel"...

[J.R.]

Whoever plays Frank/Punisher would have to be buff and Italian (Though they'll probably cast a scrawny non-Italian). Hugh Jackman might work, but something seems wrong about the same person playing Wolverine and The Punisher.

[Vermin Boy]

Personally, I'd like to see them cast a real psycho actor, like Crispin Glover or Jeffrey Combs. Let's face it, the Punisher is a pretty disturbed character.

[John]

I guess everyone's just pretending the Dolph version never existed?

[J.R.]

I was just reminded of one of the weirdest comic team-ups ever: Archie and The Punisher. A group of drug dealers was operating out of Riverdale High, so Frank slaughtered them while Arch and Jughead bumbled about trying to dodge the bullets.

[Fearless Freep]

How about Billy Drago?  The guy's big and creepy

[Drezzy]

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