'The Punisher' Season 2 Spoilers: 'Avengers: Endgame' Has No Impact
"I didn't even know what happened in 'Infinity War,'" the series' showrunner tells Inverse.
The impact of Avengers: Infinity War was far-reaching throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the ripples of Thanos’ destruction won’t be felt in Season 2 of The Punisher, premiering January 18.
During a press visit to the Brooklyn set of the Marvel/Netflix series back in June, showrunner Steven Lightfoot explained that the series exists in its “own bubble” due to the logistics of continuity between movies and streaming TV.
“I sort of sit there and write my show in a little bubble,” said Steven Lightfoot in a roundtable interview with several outlets, including Inverse, “and the guys at Marvel are good at steering me with that.”
Lightfoot further explains that producing television is a year-long affair, and that there is little communication between Marvel’s film and TV divisions.
“The truth is with, these shows take a year to make,” he said. “Infinity War probably wasn’t finished, certainly wasn’t out, when I started writing the show, and as we know Marvel is secretive. I didn’t even know what happened in Infinity War. It would have been very difficult for anyone to talk about it.”
While the Marvel/Netflix universe began firmly within the “MCU” continuity, with references to the Avengers and the Battle of New York throughout Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones, the connective tissue began to dissipate over time. The Defenders almost made an appearance in Infinity War, but their cameo was cut due to time.
Jon Bernthal as The Punisher, in Season 2 of' The Punisher.'
With the cancellation of nearly all the Marvel shows on Netflix except for The Punisher and Jessica Jones, it’s unlikely that the movies will ever make reference of “a guy in a devil suit” or “a guy in a skull vest.” But that’s fine. The Punisher is more at home when he’s on his own.
Marvel’s The Punisher Season 2 begins streaming on Netflix on January 18.
