Variety is reporting that Lionsgate has set an October date for the start of production on a revamped Punisher film, which will star the hulking British actor Ray Stevenson, who played Titus Pullo in HBO's Rome mini-series.  Lexi Alexander, the former world kickboxing champion, will direct the film from a script by Nick Santora, Kurt Sutter, Matt Holloway and Art Marcum that is (literally) shooting for an 'R' rating.

 

The new film, which is tentatively titled The Punisher 2 will actually be the third screen incarnation of Marvel's no-holds-barred vigilante Frank Castle, who was portrayed by Dolph Lundgren in a 1989 film and Thomas Jane in 2004.  The latter film was also produced by Lionsgate and earned nearly $34 million, which makes it the 15th (out of 17) of the modern era Marvel movies (in box office sales).