Bobby Saint
The Punisher is a 2004 vigilante action film loosely based on the Marvel Comics character the Punisher. It was directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, who co-wrote the film with Michael France. The film stars Thomas Jane as the eponymous antihero who seeks revenge against Howard Saint (John Travolta), a crime boss who ordered the deaths of the former's family.
The film's plot was mainly inspired by two Punisher comic book stories: the 1994 miniseries The Punisher: Year One, by writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and the 2000–01 miniseries Welcome Back, Frank, by writer Garth Ennis. Screenwriter Jonathan Hensleigh agreed to direct the film during its development stage, despite a dispute with Marvel Enterprises, marking his directorial debut. The Punisher was shot on location in Tampa, Florida, and environs in mid-to-late 2003. Artisan Entertainment, which released the 1989 Punisher film in the United States, produced the film, while Lions Gate Entertainment, who purchased Artisan during post-production, served as the American distributor.
The Punisher was released on April 16, 2004. It received generally negative reviews and grossed $13 million in the US over its opening weekend; it reached a total gross of $54.7 million against a budget of $33 million. Marvel and Lions Gate began development on a sequel, which instead became the 2008 reboot Punisher: War Zone after Jane and Hensleigh left the project due to creative differences.
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