Director Lexi Alexander Blogs About Punisher 2

August 23, 2007
Source: LexiAlexander.com
by Alex Billington

I won't go as far as AICN and say that this blog by director Lexi Alexander (middle in the photo above) shows why she is the perfect woman to direct The Punisher 2, but I will say it's worth checking out. Just two days ago we published an article featuring a lengthy chat with the new Frank Castle, Ray Stevenson. I almost feel like there's too much buzz about The Punisher: Welcome Back Frank, but in fact it's the best open commentary from the actor and filmmaker out of any film at the moment, so that's enough to keep talking about it.

Lexi updated her website with a blog post yesterday discussing her thoughts on the latest with the film. In it she praises actor Ray Stevenson extensively and mentions his training.

By now, everybody knows that the new PUNISHER is a remarkable actor named RAY STEVENSON. I can't find enough words of praise to describe this formidable actor and true Gentleman. Ray's name came up on a list that the folks at Marvel handed me. I, shamefully, was not aware of Ray's work so I rented the first season of ROME. It took me no longer than 5 seconds from the time Ray came onto the screen, to know that he is FRANK CASTLE. I can't remember the last time an actor has impressed me so much with merely an expression.

Anyone who knows The Punisher and Frank Castle knows that he was a well-trained Marine. The actor who must portray him can't be some wimpy youngin', which is why Lexi is putting Stevenson through some intensive training with real marines. It sounds like he's really going to end up being one bad ass killing machine by the time they start filming, thankfully.

For the past few weekends, Ray has also had major Military training with a bunch of badass Marines from a company called Gunmetal. I love Marines. In the first year I moved out to the US, I was asked to teach a little hand-to-hand combat seminar to a group of Marines at Camp Pendleton. That was before they had their own, now very famous, Martial Arts program. I quickly understood why the Germans called Marines "Teufelshunde." They have trained and continue to train Ray very well.

Matt Sigloch and Jon Barton, the guys who own GUNMETAL, take great pride in their work. They are especially invested in making Frank Castle as authentic as possible, since historically, Castle was a Force Recon Marine.

Honestly, if this isn't starting to sound better and better, than I'm not sure if anything will get you excited for The Punisher 2. It's still in very early pre-production and it's sounding better than the first Punisher. Good luck to both Lexi and Ray!

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