trivia about Punisher: War Zone. * The character of NYPD Detective Marty Soap comes from the series "Welcome Back, Frank", the series that brought The Punisher back (after a long hiatus) by Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon and Jimmy Palmotti. "Welcome Back" also featured the characters of The Punisher's apartment neighbors Joan, Spacker Dave, and Mister Bumpo, as well as the over-sized villain, The Russian. All of those characters appeared in the 2004 film. * Thomas Jane was originally attached for the lead role, but he turned it down, stating that he thought the script was going in the wrong direction. He felt it was too "comic book," whereas he wanted a more gritty, realistic approach. * The character of Microchip was considered for the first Punisher, but director Jonathan Hensleigh