DC Universe Star Frank Grillo Talks About Joining James Gunn’s Reboot Through Creature Commands. Nearly a year since the DCEU film timeline came to an end, Gunn’s DC Universe will make its debut this December, but not in the live-action world. Although fans will have to wait a while for the first live-action installment, which will be in 2025. SupermanMax Is Taking Audiences Into Gunn’s Universe Reboot With Animated Film Creature Commands series.
Grillo plays Rick Flag Sr., a name that should ring a bell for fans who followed the DCEU movie timeline. He is the father of the late Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman), who is now tasked with leading the Creature Commandos, a new team breaking away from Amanda Waller’s Suicide Squad. Instead of fielding incarcerated human prisoners on government missions, the team consists of real monsters.
TelaRant recently interviewed Grillo about his latest superhero gig as part of the Creature Commands cast, which will soon be followed by appearances in Superman and Peacemaker Season 2 in 2025. Grillo revealed that much of Flag Sr.’s portrayal is based on the actor’s real-life mannerisms and explained what makes him capable of leading a team like Creature Commandos. Grillo also addressed whether or not viewers will learn more about his relationship with his son, and weighed in on who would emerge victorious in a showdown between Flag Sr. and Peacemaker.
Frank Grillo previews Rick Flag Sr.’s debut in the DC universe in Creature Commandos
“[James Gunn] It gave me the freedom to implement a lot of myself into Rick.”
ScreenRant: James gave you a detailed account of Rick’s backstory before the events of Creature CommandsHow much do you know of Rick’s story at this point?
Frank Grillo: No, because Rick isn’t very prominent in any of the comics, he gave me a good ten or eight pages of backstory and how Rick got to this place. He helped with it and then said, ‘Take this and do whatever you want with it.’ He gave me the freedom to implement a lot of myself into Rick. This is a character that isn’t that far from me.
So can you dedicate a lot to it?
Frank Grillo: Yeah, he’s a lot like me, which is sometimes harder to do because as an actor, you’re trained not to do that, but there’s always an element of you, obviously, in what you’re doing. But this guy, the way he believes in the world and his relationship with his son is very similar.
Frank Grillo on Rick Flag Sr.’s Leadership with The Creature Commandos and Unlikely Dynamics
For someone tasked with commanding a team of monsters and unnatural things, Rick seems very, very at ease with everything he sees around him. Is it fair to say he has had a lot of experience with these types of people?
Frank Grillo: Yeah, I compared it to Men in Black, how Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith reacted to all the aliens. It’s a world I live in and nothing about it is really abnormal, because it’s my circumstance. It’s the same thing with Flag, he’s like, ‘Okay, what does he do? What is that one doing? All good.’ It’s all normal for him, and that’s what makes it fun for me.
One dynamic that we see come to life, that I didn’t expect, was Eric and Rick. Eric just wants a best friend and is clearly seeing something in Rick, but Rick doesn’t seem to let many people in easily. How does this change throughout the rest of the series, as we see it? Does he start letting more people in and become very disengaged?
Frank Grillo: No, I think so. I think it is essential. I think, first of all, I think he has to do it because they are a team. But I think he wants to. I think his son’s death has created a big shell and hardened him in such a way that he will either die or change. I think it’s amazing that this group of misfits and what they represent have the ability to do that for him. It’s interesting, you can see he wants to be loved. He wants to have love and is willing to risk something for the princess’s desire and that is also an interesting enigma.
Frank Grillo on Potential Working with Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag Jr. in James Gunn’s DC Universe
“Do you respond to the characters in a way that makes you want to see more of them?”
Speaking of your son, he talks about his history with Rick Jr. and at this point, I really want to see you and Joel Kinnaman have some kind of flashback that explores your dynamic. Is this something we can see happening and is it something you want to happen?
Frank Grillo: Joel and I are making our own movie… no, I’m kidding! I love Joel, we’re friends, and I think he’s a great actor, and it would be interesting to explore that. James didn’t mention any of this, but I would be sad if people responded, and it’s all about the audience, it’s all about you. It’s all about you responding to the characters in a way that makes you want to see more of them. This determines whether the guy will be around, at least in one important way. So it remains to be seen how people respond to it.
I know you can’t talk about what comes next Creature Commandsbut what is Rick’s character arc for him in the DCU when we see him starting out on this show?
Frank Grillo: The guiding principle is your professional growth, [it] it’s him taking on a bigger and bigger role in the DCU and being in charge, being able to do things that his hands were tied to before. So it’s about him balancing that responsibility.
Frank Grillo on the differences between working in the DC universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe
What was the most rewarding aspect of switching between live action and animation? You’re no stranger to being part of superhero universes, but here they’re really using you in a lot of good ways.
Frank Grillo: It’s just being really involved in such a good way from the beginning, so I get a chance to be in the embryonic stages of this in a big capacity, and not just used as a plot device and then avoided. So in that, you can’t do it without Rick Flag Sr., the way James set it up, and that’s really, to me, important, and I’m grateful for that. I take this very seriously. I tell James and Peter this all the time, whatever you guys have planned, I’m in.
Frank Grillo Teases the End of Creature Commandos Season 1 and the Benefits of R-Rated DCU Stories
“There are steamy love scenes and so many great lines.”
I’ve already seen the first five, what should we expect in the final two episodes?
Frank Grillo: I think, mainly, it’s unpredictable what’s going to happen [happen.] You think you know, but you don’t, so that’s what makes it fun. Like any great series, you should watch it until the last minute of the last episode to get the most out of it. [and] what you put into it. That’s what makes television great.
Was the aspect of being able to make a product that is not only animated, but also R-rated, and very dark with very dark humor, something that was very appealing?
Frank Grillo: Yeah, man! When I read [it,] I was like, ‘Man, I’m in.’ Because I’ve never actually done or seen anything like that. It’s R, the fights are violent and they’re really great. There are steamy love scenes and so many great lines, humorous lines. It’s so funny sometimes. And like all of Gunn’s things, it has heart. This is an actor’s dream and it’s animated, so I didn’t have to dress up. I could just go to the booth in my underwear.
Frank Grillo on Who Wins Between Rick Flag Sr. and John Cena’s Peacemaker
Who wins in a fight, Rick Flag Sr. or Peacemaker?
Frank Grillo: It’s close, it’s close… but I think Flag is a little smarter. The smart guy wins the fight. As a fighter, I’ll tell you, whoever is smart wins.
More about Creature Commandos Season 1
CREATURE COMMANDOS tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails… they are your last and worst option. CREATURE COMMANDOS was written and produced by James Gunn. Based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. additional executive producers include Peter Safran, Dean Lorey and Sam Register; Rick Morales serves as supervising producer.
Check out our others Creature Commands season 1 interviews here:
Source: Screen Rant Plus