Marvel’s Phase Three roster has dominated headlines since the comic behemoth unveiled the line-up last month. With so many headlining favourites returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with a clutch of new comic heroes set to make their big screen debuts, it’s easy for focus to slip from the supporting roles. However, one such thesp who knocked it out of the park this year was Frank Grillo in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Taking to the comic book format like a duck to water, his turn as Brock Rumlow was a scene stealing performance. As his fate dangled in the balance at the end of Cap’s last outing, many wondered, would he back for Captain America: Civil War?
Earlier this month, we reported that Grillo is not only back as the badass Crossbones – but he’s signed a multi-film deal with Marvel. Whether or not he’ll serve out the entirety of his deal is another matter, but the cards are stacked in his favour, as the actor told EW, “The Winter Soldier was only a taste of what’s to come with the next film, and I couldn’t be more humbled and excited.”
He’s previously hinted that Crossbones’ appearance in The Winter Soldier served as his origin story. This suggests his role in Civil War will expand – in more ways than one it seems. Continuing his chat with EW, he revealed that Marvel has recently contacted him with regards to his physical shape – and he’s ready and willing to hit the gym even harder:
“They just kind of called and said, ‘What kind of shape are you in? We’re going to need a body scan.’ They scan your body so that whatever you wear fits you like a glove.”
“I was 15 pounds bigger when I did Cap 2, and I’ll put another 15 pounds on to do Cap 3. I love the physicality. It changes the way you look; it changes the way you feel. We all know what Crossbones represents in his world, so when they called me and said we gotta do the body scan, I was like ‘Okay!’”
Grillo will be joining Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. for the third Cap solo pic, which is slated to follow one of the comic’s most popular storylines. Alongside those reprising their roles, Chadwick Boseman will leap aboard to introduce Black Panther to audiences, and Daniel Bruhl has recently been revealed as the movie’s big bad. With an eclectic mix of old and new characters, Captain America: Civil War will no doubt be a rollicking start to Marvel’s phase three.
