Speaking to Moviefone, Frank Grillo expressed disappointment with the development and eventual sidelining of Crossbones in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
During a conversation about his upcoming movie ‘Lights Out,’ Grillo also touched upon his new role as Rick Flag Sr. in the DC Universe, expressing excitement about his future in James Gunn’s reimagined comic book world. Touching upon this shift to DC, the actor said the following about his disappointing stint as Crossbones in MCU:
“I was just with the Russo Brothers, Kevin Feige, and Lou D’Esposito, and it’s kind of like, ”I miss those guys, but you blew it.’ Now we’re going over here [at DC].”
Grillo appeared as Brock Rumlow, aka Crossbones, in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014) and ‘Captain America: Civil War’ (2016), with his character meeting an early demise in the latter. Despite brief reappearances in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019) and the animated series ‘What If…?’ (2021), Grillo believes his role was not fully explored.
Why Did Grillo Join DCU?
Grillo transitioned from Marvel to DC after his dissatisfaction with the handling of Crossbones. In previous statements, the actor noted that his character was intended to have a more prolonged presence in the MCU. However, this plan was ultimately altered, leading to Crossbones’ premature exit:
“They never told a story [about Crossbones]. The mythology of the MCU and just what Marvel has in its pool of characters — it’s so deep. Crossbones was there for a minute, but he was supposed to be there longer, then they went the direction they did.”
This change in direction was what caused Grillo to seek opportunities elsewhere:
“I think Crossbones serves a purpose, but the interesting thing is that if you see how many people around the world have responded to Crossbones, and again, he’s on the screen for a very f*cking short amount of time, I think there’s more there. I think there was more meat on the bone. I was disappointed, which is why I went over to DC.”
Grillo Will Appear in ‘Creature Commandos’
Frank Grillo is set to play Rick Flag Sr. in James Gunn’s DC Universe, starting with the Max animated series ‘Creature Commandos.‘
Set to premiere on Max in Fall 2024, ‘Creature Commandos’ will feature Grillo as the leader of a team of characters including Eric Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, Nina Mazursky, Doctor Phosphorus, Weasel, G.I. Robot, Princess Ilana Rostovic, John Economos, Amanda Waller, and Circe.
In the interview, Grillo describes the series as a ‘hard R’ show that promises humor and explicit content for fans, which sets it apart from his previous work in the MCU. He has also teased future involvement in the DC Universe, suggesting a long-term commitment.
Beyond his superhero roles, Frank Grillo has a busy slate of upcoming projects, including ‘Hounds of War,’ ‘Werewolves,’ ‘Hard Matter,’ Die Alone,’ ‘Land of Grace,’ and ‘Misdirection.’
