It's often hard to find fault with Marvel Studios, but it would be ridiculous to say they haven't made some mistakes over the years. Whether it's Mac Gargan's forgotten origin story in Spider-Man: Homecoming or Crossbones' sudden demise in Captain America: Civil War's opening battle, there are some creative decisions it's still hard to understand.
Frank Grillo has previously explained his disappointment with Brock Rumlow's story arc, especially after he signed a seven-picture deal that would only end up lasting three movies.
Asked to return for Avengers: Endgame, the actor initially hung up on Marvel Studios and decided he wanted nothing more to do with them. However, Grillo soon saw sense and returned for a memorable cameo role that inserted Rumlow into the events of The Avengers.
Talking to Empire (via The Direct), he opened up on his MCU story arc and why he initially turned down a return.
"There was supposed to be a lot more of Crossbones," Grillo explains. "I was the one character who I think should be in more of them, and these other idiot characters are still there. I was being an asshole, being a bit petulant."
"[My son] said, ‘This is going to be the biggest movie in the world,’ and he was right. And I had a beautiful time," he adds. "They did the ten-year anniversary, Stan Lee was there, and I stood and went "What an asshole I am!'"
With Sam Wilson responsible for Crossbones' injuries, it's a real missed opportunity for him to not still be around. After all, he'd make the perfect foe for the MCU's new Captain America, but his explosive demise in Civil War was definitive, and the door on any sort of resurrection has likely closed.
On the plus side, we are pleased to hear that Grillo has no regrets about making one final MCU appearance in Avengers: Endgame, especially as it helped further cement his character's importance to this shared world.
Do you guys think Marvel Studios dropped the ball with Crossbones?