DC Studios has halted development on the World War II action film Sgt. Rock, which was set to star Colin Farrell and be directed by Luca Guadagnino. The project, based on the classic DC Comics character, is no longer moving forward as planned. However, sources say it could be revisited in the future, with a possible new production start in summer 2026.
Sgt. Rock was in pre-production and preparing to film in England this summer. The film had begun casting, with Mike Faist (from Guadagnino’s Challengers) considered for a role as a member of Easy Company, the unit led by Sgt. Rock. The story was expected to follow Sgt. Rock and a female French resistance fighter as they raced to find the mystical Spear of Destiny before the Nazis.
The main reason for the shutdown appears to be scheduling conflicts, particularly the need for extensive outdoor filming in the UK during summer. The production could not meet the required timeline, and filming in winter was not considered feasible. The film’s budget, reportedly under $70 million, was not a factor in the decision. Some insiders also mentioned that studio executives had concerns about Guadagnino’s lack of experience with large-scale action films, which may have influenced the decision to pause the project.
Sgt. Rock is a long-standing DC Comics character, created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Joe Kubert. He first appeared in 1959’s Our Army at War #83 and became known as the leader of Easy Company, a group of American soldiers fighting in World War II. Over the years, the character has become a symbol of determination and leadership in the DC Comics universe.
DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran were reportedly enthusiastic about the project, even though Sgt. Rock was not part of their original DC Universe slate. They supported the film based on the strength of the script by Justin Kuritzkes, who previously worked with Guadagnino on Challengers and Queer. While the project is currently shelved, sources indicate it may not be permanently canceled and could resume if scheduling issues are resolved, though it is difficult to imagine how a fictional war hero with no superpowers would have been an integral component of the DC Studios efforts to flesh out the DC Universe which is filled with spandex wearing superheroes.
Earlier versions of the project considered actors like Daniel Craig for the lead role, but those plans did not move forward. Some fans have expressed concerns about casting non-American actors like Farrell and Craig as the iconic American war hero, Sgt. Rock. For now, Sgt. Rock is on hold at DC Studios, with its future uncertain but not entirely ruled out.
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English (US) · 