Dario Scardapane, showrunner of Daredevil: Born Again, has confirmed that the special The Punisher: One Last Kill fits into the MCU timeline. The story takes place after Punisher season 2 and unfolds before and during the events of the second season of Daredevil: Born Again. Frank Castle does not appear in this series because he is busy with this special and in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, where he will face Spidey, calling him Red, as in the comics. The official synopsis shows Frank trying to leave vengeance behind, but an unexpected conflict drags him back.
How the special integrates into the MCU timeline 🕸️
Scardapane's decision places One Last Kill as a narrative bridge between the Punisher series and the second season of Daredevil: Born Again. This allows Frank Castle's character to have his own arc without interfering with Matt Murdock's main plot. Castle's absence in Born Again is explained by his involvement in this special and in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Technically, the MCU uses these spaces to connect stories without saturating the main series, using specials as transitional tools that maintain temporal coherence.
Frank Castle tries to be a model citizen (he fails) 💥
The synopsis says Frank wants to live without vengeance. Sure, as if that's possible for a guy who solves his problems with a machine gun. His idea of an unexpected conflict is probably someone stealing his parking spot. The funny thing is that while Matt Murdock deals with court cases, Frank is out there calling Spider-Man Red, as if they were old neighborhood friends. Good thing the special lasts long enough to remind us that Castle doesn't know what a quiet day is.