In this week's episode of Creature Commandos (you can read our full recap here), we learned that G.I. Robot served alongside Sgt. Rock and Easy Company during World War II.
Challengers director Luca Guadagnino is expected to helm a Sgt. Rock movie starring Daniel Craig, though Maury Sterling (Homeland) lends his voice to the character in this animated series. While DC Studios plans to have the same actors take on their respective roles across animation and live-action, that only applies to major parts and leaves the door open to Craig, for example, taking over in a feature.
In a new interview, Creature Commandos showrunner Dean Lorey explained why he wanted Easy Company to make an appearance in the show.
"One of the reasons we wanted to include them is because it's one of G.I. Robot's most favourite memories," he said. "When he's asked who his friends are, it's the boys from Easy Company. And so I think we wanted to see them, we wanted to meet them. It really does humanize G.I. Robot that he's got friends who he has feelings for."
Creator and writer James Gunn was also on hand to reveal, "I think that in creating the DCU, it isn't about just creating this one story with a big bad that everything is - this is about creating a universe and a universe has a history to it. And part of the universe's history is Sgt. Rock and Easy Company who fought in World War II."
"And this happens to be a universe in which metahumans, scientific anomalies, and some forms of magic have existed in our world for a long time in the DCU," the filmmaker and studio executive continued.
"To use these classic characters of Sgt. Rock and Bulldozer, Little Sure Shot...and to be able to see them animated along with our world and to be part of the DC Universe made it really fun."
The third instalment also features an appearance from Dr. Will Magnus. Played by Alan Tudyk, he studies G.I. Robot and appears to be in the process of creating his Metal Men, a team of DC Comics heroes that includes Gold, Platinum, Mercury, Iron, Tin, and Lead.
"Dr. Will Magnus was the creator of the Metal Man which was my favourite group when I was a child," Gunn noted. "I think that we're being able to set up that Dr. Magnus was definetly inspired and learned something from the Automaton that is G.I Robot that leads him to creating the Metal Man down the road."
"And we see the beginnings of the designs on the walls which is really a fun moment for me to bring into it," he teased.
Gunn has previously said that he's mulling over his next DCU project and if he's a lifelong fan of the Metal Men, then we'd imagine a movie or TV show revolving around the group could be a priority. There were plans for them to appear in the DCEU but a movie announced in 2021 failed to materialise.
You can watch the full interview with Gunn and Lorey in the player below.
Creature Commandos tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails...they’re your last, worst option.
The cast features Steve Agee as Economos, Maria Bakalova as Princess Ilana, Anya Chalotra as Circe, Zoe Chao as Nina Mazursky, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Sean Gunn as GI Robot & Weasel, David Harbour as Frankenstein, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Phosphorus, Indira Varma as The Bride, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.
Creature Commandos is written and executive produced by James Gunn. Based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, additional executive producers include Peter Safran, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register; Rick Morales serves as a supervising producer.
The first three episodes of Creature Commandos are now streaming on Max.