10 Superhero Films If They Were Made By Legendary Directors

10. Martin Scorsese's The Punisher

Sorcha EdwardFrank Castle is arguably a product of post-Vietnam America as much as John Rambo and more pertinently Travis Bickle, so who better to tackle the character in the decade he was created than Marty himself? If it was made today with Scorsese at the helm we'd no doubt have Leo with a skull-shaped lapel-badge on his Armani suit, but seeing as this is the 70's it would take none other than Robert De Niro to administer a campaign of one-man vengeance in Skull T-shirt and flak jacket. Set in New York, this would have been far more than just taking Taxi Driver and superimposing a skull logo onto Travis Bickle, De Niro would have brought the perfect balance of mournful pain and vengeance-induced insanity that has been so lacking in other depictions of Castle. In a nod to his debut in Amazing Spider-Man #129 the film would open with Castle in rooftop pursuit of Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man. Spidey would be portrayed in cameo by the teen idol of the age: David Cassidy, a casting reminiscent of the off-kilter choice of Jerry Lewis in The King of Comedy. Once the Webslinger learns of Castle's tragic background (depicted in flashback) the story would then follow The Punisher's journey from villain to anti-hero as he sets about taking down the criminals that murdered his family. There would be a final parallel to Taxi Driver with Scorsese's other regular Harvey Keitel appearing as a puzzle-scarred pimp version of Jigsaw. If time-travel is ever invented then it would be greatly appreciated if any would-be chrono-tourists could consider going back to bankroll this project.