Marvel’s Frank Grillo Explains Why He’s ‘Outgrowing’ Playing Crossbones

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an absolutely massive place, with new characters being introduced with each installment. Phase Three's conclusion marks the end of the Infinity Saga, with some beloved characters being written or killed off as a result of actors' contracts coming to a close. One seemingly dead character that fans are hoping pops back up is Frank Grillo's Crossbones. But Grillo recently explained why he felt he was 'outgrowing' his villainous Marvel role, despite being contracted to come back for more appearances if Marvel wishes.

Brock Rumlow/Crossbones was introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, revealed to be a HYDRA infiltrator within S.H.I.E.L.D.. The character was killed off in Civil War's opening sequence, but also made a brief return during Avengers: Endgame's time heist. Frank Grillo was recently asked if he'd want to play The Punisher in the MCU, leading the actor to speak about his possible future.

Well, that was honest. While the superhero genre continues to expand across various shared universes, Frank Grillo's time as a masked character may be coming to an end. Those types projects simply don't interest him as much the future projects he's got coming down the pipeline. And since Crossbones is dead, he may end up getting what wishes.

Frank Grillo's comments to Uproxx may be disappointing for some Marvel fans who are hoping that he'll make a surprise fourth movie appearance as Crossbones. His last two were short moments that packed a punch, but The Winter Soldier is the movie that gave him some meaty material. With the MCU continuing to expand on both the silver and small screen, there's no telling what the studio has in store for Phase Four and Five.

Marvel fans can re-watch the Infinity Saga on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.

Crossbones' death in the MCU seemed pretty final, so it would take some clever writing in order to bring Frank Grillo back for another appearance. The opening sequence of Captain America: Civil War saw the Avengers on a mission in Lagos. During Brock Rumlow's scuffle with Cap, he attempted to blow them both up with explosives strapped to his chest. Scarlet Witch is able to save Cap, but the explosion ends up killing Wakandan humanitarian workers in a nearby building. As for Crossbones, there's no way his body survived that explosion.

The next installment in the MCU is Black Widow on November 6th. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.