B-Movie Kings Dolph Lundgren And Frank Grillo Are Teaming Up For A Submarine Action Movie

Dolph Lundgren and Frank Grillo are diving into a new film that will be centered around WWII and Germany's infamous U-boats. Directed by Steven Luke, Operation Seawolf was produced by VMI Worldwide and has recently wrapped. No stranger to war movies, Luke has a flair for directing fight scenes, explosions, and attacks on camera. With these heavy-hitting B-movie stars on board, Operation Seawolf may just be a stealthy success.

Details surfaced from The Hollywood Reporter that Operation Seawolf is "set in the last days of WWII when Germany, desperate for any remaining opportunity to defeat the Allied powers, looked to their last remaining U-Boats for one final mission: to cruise all the way to New York City and attack the U.S. mainland."

Grillo has a long history starring in action films, recently portraying supervillain Brock Rumlow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Endgame. Based on his experience in the MCU and the Purge franchise and a number of other action movies of varying quality, his stamina and skillset seem very fitting for a film like this.

And who can forget Dolph Lundgren, with that chiseled jawline that can cut through steel, vibrant blonde hair, and bicep muscles the size of human skulls? The Swedish actor is probably best known for his role as Rocky Balboa's nemesis, Ivan Drago, in Rocky IV, but the actor contains multitudes. Not only does he have a master's degree in chemical engineering, but he also holds a black belt in Kyokushin karate. Lundgren has also worked in numerous action films dating back to the mid-'80s, including Masters of the Universe, The Punisher, and Men of War.

While the dynamic of Lundgren and Grillo's characters has not been revealed, it's easy to assume they will be rivals. Seeing these two action stars join sides or face off against each other will be the stuff of B-action movie dreams.

As far as war movies go, there has not been a lot of focus on underwater warfare in recent years. So I'm very curious about the practical effects and stuntwork that will be utilized, especially factoring in water elements. For example, the Mark 14 torpedo could hold 643 pounds of Torpex (a secondary explosive 50% more powerful than TNT by mass). When you're working with set and prop design in war movies, accuracy in ammunition and weaponry can be just as important as the storyline, at least if you're a history nerd.

Another curious component of the film is the title itself. The famous USS Seawolf (SS-197) received 13 battle stars for its service in World War II. Is there a connection with Luke's film? Maybe, maybe not, but hopefully this thriller won't sink on screen.

Shout! Studios acquired the North America rights to Operation Seawolf, with a release date set for 2022.