Marvel Studios' She-Hulk: Attorney at Law may be bringing a classic Punisher villain to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In a new TV spot for the upcoming Disney+ series, there's a scene with Emil Blonsky/Abomination (Tim Roth) leading a support group of Marvel supervillains working through their issues. Among the villains being introduced into the MCU in this scene are the Zorro-influenced mutant El Aguila, the humanoid Man-Bull and the rogue military scientist Porcupine. But one villain briefly seen dressed in all black is the assassin Saracen.
Created by Mike Baron and Erik Larsen, Saracen made his Marvel Comics debut in The Punisher Vol. 2 #22 (August 1989). He hailed from an undisclosed Arabian country and was infamous for blowing up airlines and purging cruise liners. Saracen first encountered Frank Castle/Punisher in a ninja training camp located in Kansas, and they worked together as allies to stop the con artists operating it. But the alliance was short-lived as Saracen was hired by the Bessucho crime family to help eliminate the Punisher and managed to kill Castle's estranged relatives. After several more encounters over the years, Saracen met his violent end in a sword fight against the Marvel vigilante.
She-Hulk Features Some Deep-Cut Marvel Villains
Saracen's appearance on She-Hulk marks the second major Punisher villain to enter the MCU following Vincent D'Onofrio's return as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in Hawkeye on Disney+. This may lead fans to speculate if Saracen will encounter his skull-wearing nemesis in a future MCU project. Daredevil star Rosario Dawson had seemingly announced the Punisher's MCU return with Netflix series star Jon Bernthal reprising the role. However, Dawson later backpedaled on that confirmation.
"I can’t be trusted…!" said Dawson. "Getting intel from fans during signings is iffy apparently. My bad. I get excited. Confirmation is key when you’re told what you want to hear…"
More surprise MCU appearances will be coming when She-Hulk arrives this month. Daredevil star Charlie Cox will reprise his role as Matt Murdock/Daredevil with a new suit in the style of his black and yellow costume from the comics. Director Kat Coiro won't detail how the Man Without Fear will factor into the main storyline except to predict that he will be a "fan favorite." "I am definitely excited for Daredevil to make his appearance, because I think he's going to be a crowd favorite," Coiro said. "But I can't tell you anything else about that. The Marvel police is a real thing, and I don't want to get arrested by them."
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law premieres Aug. 18 on Disney+
Source: YouTube, via The Direct