Superhero fans know that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly releasing new content, both in theaters and streaming for those with a Disney+ subscription. And while fans theorize about what might go down in upcoming Marvel movies, actors are tasked with guarding the shared universe's secrets and complying with Marvel's tight security. Frank Grillo recently joked about almost being fired by Marvel for revealing spoilers, but is he actually returning as Crossbones?
Fans who spent years watching Marvel movies in order got to see Frank Grillo's interesting tenure in the MCU. After debuting as Brock Rumlow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it was revealed he was actually a HYDRA spy. And while he seemingly perished in the opening battle of Civil War, he shocked fans by popping up during Endgame's Time Heist. While speaking with ComicBook, the 59 year-old actor reflected on his penchant for spoiling Marvel secrets, saying:
You know, unfortunately, there's nothing I can really say that wouldn't get me in trouble. So I kind of have to step back and go, 'I take the fifth.’ I am so bad at this. Like, Marvel almost fired me 36 f---ing times because I don't know. I never want to lie. And so, I do that a little too much. But I've been warned.
Poor guy. While working on movies is a hard enough job, there's another challenge in being part of a major movie franchise: trying to keep its secrets. But with fan excitement over the MCU, that can be especially difficult for those occupying the shared universe.
The details of when/how Marvel nearly fired Grillo are largely a mystery, he spilled the beans on his role in Avengers: Endgame before Endgame even had an official title. Given the surprise nature of a dead character showing up in the past, one has to assume that was an instance that didn't please the studio.
Now the question is: will Frank Grillo play Crossbones sometime in the future? In the main timeline he's dead, after an attempt to blow Captain America up with him via suicide bombing. And with both time travel and the multiverse in play, it seems like just about anything is possible in the Marvel Cinematic Universe lately.
Even if he knew anything, it sounds like Grillo has been warned by the studio to keep his cards close to the chest. But he joins other actors like Tom Holland who have a penchant for accidentally spoiling things. Then there's Mark Ruffalo, who revealed Infinity War's ending and accidentally live streamed the audio of Thor: Ragnarok.
The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th, which could be a logical place for Grillo to appear. While we wait for more information, check the 2025 movie release dates.
