Frank Grillo, slated to appear in the James Gunn and Peter Safran-championed DCU and its first television series Creature Commandos in a voice role as Rick Flag Sr., revealed whether viewers can anticipate his appearance in Superman: Legacy (2025).
And the response was a definitive no.
Although James Gunn had previously assured that DCU would see actors embody their characters in and out of animation, Grillo’s animated role will not make its live-action debut through the David Corenswet starrer.
While dishing out details about his stint in the soft reboot of the DCEU, Grillo, who has starred in MCU initiatives, also mentioned how moving over to the DCU comes after having worked with Kevin Feige, the Russo brothers, and Louis D’Esposito. Although the 58-year-old admitted to missing these industry figures, he also asserted how they “blew it.”
The remark didn’t offer much context.
From Grillo’s previous statements in another interview, however, one can discern that the reaction has to do with how his MCU villain, Brock Rumlow/Crossbones, was treated in the franchise’s narrative. The actor’s vocal criticism is attached to the underutilization of his character, who was killed in Captain America: Civil War (2016) after a brief stint.
Creature Commandos Star Frank Grillo Confirms He Won’t Appear In Superman: Legacy (2025)
The anticipation surrounding Superman: Legacy (2025) has been building up for a while. It makes sense that fans await more specifics and further information about what they can expect to see.
But if they ever wondered whether Frank Grillo‘s Rick Flag Sr. from Creature Commandos would find a place in the narrative, they’d be disappointed to know that such isn’t the case. In an interview with Moviefone, the Warrior alum revealed the prospects of his live-action DCU debut but confirmed it won’t be through Superman: Legacy.
When asked if Grillo knew which endeavor would kickstart his live-action tenure in the upcoming reboot, he remarked:
“Yes, I do. Again, in a world filled with great talent, actors, and famous movie stars, I mean what James Gunn and Peter Safran [have] entrusted in me with this character and … the future of what they’re doing in that company, I’m humbled.”
When the interviewer queried if there was a chance we would see him in Superman: Legacy, he responded, “No. I wish.”
Previously, before the casting to Creature Commandos was finalized, the intention had been to pick voice actors who, when the time came, would additionally portray the live-action iterations of their animated characters (via Collider).
As a result, James Gunn acknowledged (via X) that the unique casting relied on an equally distinctive casting process. Instead of depending on voice acting auditions, as is typical in animation, talents chosen to be in the series had to go through on-camera auditions.
Although Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. will not appear in Superman: Legacy, there’ll presumably be ample opportunities and scope for the character to be used in other future live-action DCU initiatives. It’s only a waiting game now to see whether the actor’s experience differs from what he encountered in the MCU.
Frank Grillo Took Aim At Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige And The MCU
Frank Grillo was questioned in the same interview about whether he had finished recording for Creature Commandos‘ first season and if he had recorded any lines with his co-starring talents.
After replying to the question, he went on a tangent to express his excitement over getting to work in the DCU under the spearheaded efforts of DC Studios’ co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. He also assured that he would be “around for a while.”
The Lights Out actor eventually made a subtle dig at Kevin Feige and the MCU, most likely in reference to his experience working for the rival property. The remark also explains the backdrop to what prompted the star to switch sides and jump boats. Following was his statement:
“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. But it’s exciting.”
He continued,
“I was just with the Russo Brothers, Kevin Feige, and Lou D’Esposito, and it’s … like, ‘I miss those guys, but you blew it.’ Now we’re going over here.”
This isn’t the first time Frank Grillo has voiced his complaints about his time at the MCU and the fate dealt to his character. Fans of the superhero film franchise first saw Grillo’s Brock Rumlow/Crossbones in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). The villain was subsequently killed in Captain America: Civil War (2016).
He expressed to ComicBook.com his disappointment over the character’s underutilization and how Crossbones was “supposed to be” in the narrative “longer.” He confirmed, “…There was more meat on the bone. I was disappointed. Which is why I went over to DC.”
From what we can gather from existing reports and the actor’s remarks, it appears Frank Grillo won’t run into the same issues in the DCU. In the Moviefone interview, he indicated that he would be sticking around awhile with what James Gunn and Peter Safran have planned with these characters.
With the actors in Creature Commandos going in and out of the animated medium, there’s also scope for longevity.
It remains to be whether the execution suffices.
Creature Commandos is slated for premiere in late 2024 on the streaming service Max.
