The superhero style continues to be wildly common, and DC co-CEO James Gunn has kickstarted the DCU’s first slate of initiatives (titled Gods and Monsters) with two exhibits a film. All three have featured Frank Grillo, who additionally performed Crossbones within the MCU for 3 initiatives. The 60 year-old actor not too long ago in contrast what it was like working in these two behemoth franchises, and pictures had been positively fired.
Grillo debuted as Rick Flag Sr. in Creature Commandos (streaming with a HBO Max subscription), earlier than reprising that function in Superman and Peacemaker Season 2. He is one of many solely actors to seem in each DCU undertaking up to now, and in a dialog with Folks he defined the largest distinction between that franchise and the MCU. In his phrases:
It is completely different. It’s not organized in the identical means. [DC] is basically like all of the scripts are in entrance of you and also you sort of have an actual safe deal with on what’s taking place. And there is nothing fallacious with it, however [Marvel] was a little bit fly by the seat of your pants
Nicely, he actually did not mince his phrases. Whereas the MCU can really feel like a well-oiled machine to the general public because of its fixed provide of initiatives hitting theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription, that is seemingly not what it is like from inside the shared universe. As an alternative, he stated that starring in Kevin Feige’s universe is extra like flying by the seat of your pants.
Marvel safety is notoriously tight, with the studio locking up scripts and retaining actors in darkish to be able to guard its secrets and techniques. So when Grillo began engaged on the DCU, he was taken by how clear the scripts had been, due to this fact permitting him to get the complete scope of each Rick Flag Sr. and the burgeoning shared universe as a complete.
Grillo debuted within the MCU as Brock Rumlow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the place it was revealed that his S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was really a spy for HYDRA. This was his greatest function within the MCU, earlier than having two small however memorable appearances in Civil Conflict and Avengers: Endgame. Later in the identical interview, the actor spoke concerning the problem of taking pictures these scenes given Marvel safety, providing:
For me, it is a little bit scary to do it that means.
Other than the secrecy of its scripts, the MCU can be recognized for having intensive reshoots, the place main modified can occur to every undertaking forward of its launch in theaters. For instance, Captain America: Courageous New World lower characters altogether, whereas Black Widow reshot all of its villain’s scenes. By comparability, it feels like James Gunn and firm have a way more clear imaginative and prescient for his or her work within the DCU. A minimum of, per Grillo’s expertise.
Frank Grillo may be seen in Peacemaker Season 2, which airs new episodes Thursdays on HBO Max as a part of the 2025 TV schedule.