The Walking Dead alum appears in two of the year’s biggest theatrical releases
Summary
– Jon Bernthal is enjoying a huge 2026 with major roles in two blockbuster films
– Spider-Man Brand New Day has reportedly crossed $2 billion worldwide
– The film has surpassed Spider-Man No Way Home as the franchise’s highest grosser
Jon Bernthal’s Shane Walsh may have met a brutal end on The Walking Dead, but the actor behind the character is enjoying one of the biggest years of his career.
Bernthal appears in two major 2026 releases, The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Both films have become major box office successes, giving the former Walking Dead star a prominent place in a huge year for theatrical releases.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has reportedly surpassed $2 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie to date. The previous franchise record belonged to Spider-Man: No Way Home, which finished its run at roughly $1.9 billion.
The film reportedly reached $2 billion in just 18 days, placing it among the fastest movies ever to reach that milestone. Only Avengers: Endgame reached the mark faster, according to the figures cited in the report.
Brand New Day has also reportedly surpassed Avengers: Infinity War to become the second-highest-grossing superhero movie of all time, behind Avengers: Endgame. Its current total is approximately $2.053 billion, slightly ahead of Infinity War’s $2.052 billion.
The movie is also projected to continue climbing before the end of its theatrical run, with estimates placing its potential worldwide finish between $2.5 billion and $2.7 billion. That would put it within range of Avengers: Endgame, although the Marvel crossover is also expected to receive another theatrical release later in 2026.
Bernthal plays Frank Castle, better known as The Punisher, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. His appearance gives the actor another major Marvel role while continuing the character he previously portrayed in Marvel television projects.
The Odyssey has also added to Bernthal’s successful year, with Christopher Nolan’s latest film becoming another major theatrical hit. Together, the two releases have helped make 2026 one of the strongest periods of Bernthal’s career.
What comes next for his version of The Punisher remains uncertain. Rumors continue surrounding potential appearances by Marvel’s street-level characters in future projects, but nothing has been confirmed about Bernthal’s next major crossover.
From Shane Walsh on The Walking Dead to The Punisher in one of the biggest superhero films ever released, Bernthal’s 2026 run has given him another major career milestone.
