Frank Grillo was sorely underutilised in the MCU. After first playing Brock Rumlow for a memorable supporting turn in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, he returned as Crossbones in Captain America: Civil War...and immediately died.
The actor got a cameo in Avengers: Endgame and has lent his voice to What If...?, but it's looking like he'll have much more to do in the DCU.
After being cast as Rick Flag Sr. in DC Studios' animated Creature Commandos, it's been confirmed today that Grillo will make the leap to live-action and reprise the role in Peacemaker season 2.
"Pleased to announce the great [Frank Grillo] will be reprising the role of Rick Flag, Sr - the role he’ll first play in animated form in 'Creature Commando's - throughout Season 2 of 'Peacemaker,'" DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn said on Instagram. "Christopher Smith and Rick Sr have a little unfinished business to take care of..."
Yes, this appears to suggest The Suicide Squad is canon in the DCU. In that movie, Peacemaker (acting on Amanda Waller's orders) killed Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flag Jr. We'd later learn that he greatly regretted his actions, but something tells us Sr. won't care!
"I recorded with [David] Harbour, and I may have recorded with Maria [Bakalova]. But it’s great," Grillo previously said of joining the DCU and Creature Commandos. "I love James Gunn and Peter Safran and what they’re doing at DC and for the DCU, and these characters are living in all their movies. I’m going to be around for a while, and I wish I could tell you what I have coming up with them, but I can’t."
"[In] a world filled with great talent, actors, and famous movie stars, I mean what James Gunn and Peter Safran has entrusted in me with this character and with the future of what they’re doing in that company, I’m humbled," the actor added.
Grillo also hasn't shied away from criticising Marvel Studios' handling of Crossbones. "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."
Pitting Peacemaker against Rick Flag Sr. promises to be a lot of fun Gunn is making good on his promise that everything in the DCU will be connected, MCU-style.
Check out his announcement in the Instagram post below.