The Walking Dead star lines up major TV and movie momentum
Summary
– Jon Bernthal may be headed for his biggest career year yet with major TV and film projects in 2026
– His Netflix thriller His and Hers became one of the year’s biggest streaming hits
– Bernthal is also tied to The Punisher, The Bear, The Odyssey, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Jon Bernthal has come a long way since his breakout run as Shane Walsh on The Walking Dead.
Nearly 15 years after that role helped push him into the spotlight, Bernthal is entering one of the strongest years of his career. His 2026 lineup includes a hit Netflix series, major television specials, and two blockbuster films.
His and Hers became a major success for Netflix after its January debut. Bernthal starred alongside Tessa Thompson in the thriller, which follows a detective investigating a murder in a small Georgia town. At the same time, a reporter with a personal connection to the case tries to rebuild her career.
The series quickly gained attention and became one of the year’s biggest streaming shows. That success gave Bernthal another major television win outside of his Walking Dead legacy.
Bernthal also returned as Frank Castle for The Punisher: One Last Kill on Disney+. The special brought him back into the Marvel world as Castle battled the Gnucci Crime Family.
He also appeared in a surprise special episode of The Bear with Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The episode gave fans another look at Mikey and Richie before the show’s final season.
Bernthal’s movie schedule may be even bigger. He is set to appear in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey as Menelaus, with Matt Damon leading the cast as Odysseus.
He is also expected to return as The Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day alongside Tom Holland. That role could put Bernthal in one of the biggest superhero releases of the year.
Between streaming, prestige television, Marvel, and a major Nolan film, Bernthal’s 2026 run is shaping up as a defining chapter in his career.
