“I’m in”: Frank Grillo is all in with James Gunn’s big plan for his role as Rick Flag in Peacemaker Season 2

Frank Grillo would drop everything in a heartbeat to work on anything James Gunn writes for him. The actor himself told GQ:

"I don't know what it is, but he knows, whatever he needs me for, in whatever capacity, l'm in."

That loyalty is why Gunn brought him into the heart of DC's new universe. And now, as Rick Flag Sr. in Peacemaker season 2, Grillo is ready to play a defining role.

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Frank Grillo and the trust he has in James Gunn’s vision

Frank Grillo is no stranger to tough roles, but stepping into James Gunn's DC world has given him something new. When he described his relationship with Gunn to GQ, it was clear that this partnership is personal.

"My agents know, when the call comes, just say yes and we'll figure the rest out later. I feel very lucky that somehow I got my caboose attached to his train."

Those aren't the words of an actor taking a gig, but of someone who knows he's part of something bigger. For Frank Grillo, this isn't just a job; it's the ground floor of a universe still looking for its voice. He compared his early entry into the DCU to being drafted into a war, saying;

"I'm there in the embryonic stage of DC, and so I take ownership of it."

Unlike his time in the MCU, where he stepped in for a few films, here he feels like he's part of the foundation. That sense of belonging is exactly why Gunn has leaned on him so heavily.

Frank Grillo has already voiced Rick Flag Sr. in Creature Commandos, has appeared in Superman, and now returns in Peacemaker. For him, Flag is more than a character, and he calls him "the connective tissue" of Gunn's new world, linking stories together in the way Nick Fury did for Marvel.

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Carrying Rick Flag from grief to power in Peacemaker Season 2

When The Suicide Squad ended, John Cena's Peacemaker left Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flag Jr. dead on the floor.

The actor told GQ that Gunn wanted audiences to first meet Flag in Creature Commandos so they could see his pain and humanity before he crossed paths with Cena's character again. Frank Grillo related to that by saying:

"I have three sons, and if you lose a child, especially in a violent way, all bets are off."

That emotion shapes Flag Sr. as much as his military background. By the time Peacemaker season two picks up, Flag Sr. isn't just a grieving father, but he's also at the top of A.R.G.U.S., able to pull strings and challenge Peacemaker in ways that go far beyond a fistfight.

Grillo explained;

"Flag is now behaving differently, and it's more about intellect than physicality..."

That shift in tone raises the stakes for season two. This is no one-note villain. Frank Grillo made it clear:

"People are going, 'Oh, you're the villain,' and I'm like, no, Flag is not the villain. He's an antagonist in this world of Peacemaker, but Peacemaker does a lot more messed up things than Flag's ever gonna do."

That balance between grief, justice, and power is exactly why Gunn sees Flag as crucial to the future of the DCU.

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Frank Grillo has stepped into DC not just as another tough guy, but as the emotional anchor for a story that's still unfolding. His faith in James Gunn's vision is absolute, and his performance as Rick Flag Sr. is set to push Peacemaker season two into darker, more complex territory.

For Frank Grillo, the motto is simple: if Gunn asks, he's in. And for fans, that's exactly the kind of loyalty that keeps the DCU alive.

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Also read: Peacemaker Season 2 release schedule: When do new episodes of the HBO Max series drop?