The Punisher | Behind-The-Scenes Director Jonathan Hensleigh and producer Avi Arad have said in many interviews that Thomas Jane was the first and only actor to be asked to play the title role. Arad had previously pursued Jane for other roles in Marvel Studios films. He turned down the Punisher twice, as he did not see himself as a superhero actor. Jane said, when asked the second time to play the Punisher, that he became interested when Arad sent Tim Bradstreet’s artwork of the character. After