Punisher: War Zone | |
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Directed by | Lexi Alexander |
Written by | |
Based on | Punisher by Marvel Comics |
Produced by | Gale Anne Hurd |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Steve Gainer |
Edited by |
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Music by | Michael Wandmacher |
Production companies |
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Distributed by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 103 minutes[4] |
Countries | |
Language | English |
Budget | $35 million[5] |
Box office | $10.1 million[5] |
Punisher: War Zone is a 2008 vigilante action film based on the Marvel Comics character the Punisher. Rather than a sequel to 2004's The Punisher, the film is a reboot that follows the war waged by vigilante Frank Castle / Punisher (played by Ray Stevenson) on crime and corruption, in particular on the disfigured mob boss known as Billy "Jigsaw" Russoti (Dominic West).[6] The film is directed by Lexi Alexander, from a screenplay written by Nick Santora, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway. It is the third feature film adaptation of The Punisher, the second reboot thereof and the first of two films to be produced under the Marvel Knights production banner, which focuses on films for mature audiences.
Development of a follow-up to The Punisher began two months before its release. The film was initially developed as a sequel, with Thomas Jane reprising the title role. Jane departed the project in 2006, and Ray Stevenson was announced as his replacement in July 2007. Filming began in October 2007 in Montreal, Canada.
Punisher: War Zone was released in North America by Lionsgate on December 5, 2008, and it was released in the United Kingdom by Sony Pictures Releasing on February 6, 2009 to negative reviews and grossed $10 million worldwide, making it a box-office bomb. Its related soundtrack hit the #23 slot on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart. In the years since its release, the film has developed a cult following.[7][8]
This was the final Punisher film to be produced by an outside studio before the rights reverted to Marvel Studios, with Stevenson reprising his role as Castle in The Super Hero Squad Show. A television series was later released on Netflix in 2017 and is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
[Alexander:] I would say it's a complete reboot because the first one—neither of them—are relevant to us at all.
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