Frank Grillo Sheds Light on Marvel vs. DC — And Why He Feels More at Home in the DC Universe

From “seat-of-your-pants” chaos to intentional world-building: Grillo praises DC’s structure and personal storytelling while calling Marvel’s machine impressive yet unpredictable.

Frank Grillo, who has inhabited roles in both cinematic comic-book universes, recently reflected on what sets Marvel Studios apart from the newly rebooted DC Universe under James Gunn and Peter Safran.

The actor—who played Brock Rumlow (Crossbones) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and now portrays Rick Flag Sr. in DC’s Creature Commandos, Peacemaker Season 2, and the upcoming Superman film—opened up about the contrasts between the two studios’ creative approaches.

“It’s different. It’s not organized in the same way,” Grillo explained. At the Peacemaker Season 2 premiere, he described DC’s method as highly structured—scripts are fully in front of the actors, giving them a clear grasp of their characters and story arcs. In contrast, he characterized Marvel’s process as “a little fly by the seat of your pants,” admitting that while the results are “done very well,” it could be daunting to immerse yourself in scenes with incomplete context.

Grillo echoed similar sentiments last December, emphasizing that what draws him to the Gunn–Safran era of DC is how “contained” and “personal” it feels. He relishes being “part of something in the embryonic stage,” experiencing the thrill of watching the universe grow and flourish alongside his character.

Further amplifying his enthusiasm for the DCU’s rising narrative coherence, Grillo also voiced a desire for a recast of his MCU persona, Crossbones. He suggested that the MCU could benefit from returning to more grounded storytelling—something he feels DC currently offers.

Meanwhile, some fans have noted discrepancies in his live-action DCU appearances, especially regarding Rick Flag Sr.’s animated versus live-action hair color. In Creature Commandos, the character sports distinctive white hair, but in Superman and the upcoming season of Peacemaker, Grillo appears in his natural dark hair. He clarified that overlapping production schedules with Tulsa King forced the decision—not creative intent. Fans were reportedly harsh in their reactions, but Grillo welcomed the backlash in stride, and James Gunn even offered an in-universe reason: Flag dyes his hair for vanity. Grillo hopes to return to that white-haired look in future DCU appearances, conditions permitting.