According to the Hollywood Reporter, Colin Farrell, star of The Penguin, is in negotiations to join the role of DCU’s Sgt. Rock. The action movie will be set in World War II and under the direction of Luca Guadagnino for DC Studios.
1. Colin Farrell Replaces Daniel Craig Who Withdrew for the Role of Sgt. Rock
DC took this step after Daniel Craig, who previously participated in the project, officially withdrew. Craig is reportedly now considering a role in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia on Netflix.
James Gunn and Peter Safran, the top brass of DC Studios, revealed in February that there was no offer for Craig. Filming for the project will start in the summer only if they find the right actor.
This move does point to Rock’s plan to shoot this summer at the DC Studios production center. If a deal is reached, Farrell will play the tough leader of Easy Company, a combat unit that also fought against Nazi forces in Europe.
2. Adapting a 1959 DC Comic
Created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert, Sgt. Rock is a World War II soldier who first appeared in comics in 1959.
This comic is one of the longest-running series that DC has published. Previously, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis were considered to play the character during Hollywood’s long history of trying to bring the character to the big screen.
Set in World War II, Sgt. Franklin John Rock is an infantryman with extraordinary abilities. He was famous as a sniper who could shoot down German planes using only a submachine gun.
In addition, he is also an excellent street fighter and has the ability “Combat Antenna,” which gives him a unique instinct to detect enemy attacks. With courage, intelligence, and a big heart, Sgt. Rock has become one of the most respected military characters in the DC comics world.
Rock received a script by screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, who also wrote Guadagnino’s films “Challengers” and “Queer”.
In Matt Reeves’ “The Batman”, Farrell played the character of Penguin as a ruthless crime boss. He revived the character in “The Penguin”, an HBO spinoff that received much praise and awards.
Farrell received several awards including the SAG Award, Golden Globe Award, Critics Choice Award, and Saturn Award, among others. The CAA-represented actor is likely to reprise his role in “The Batman” sequel which DC Studios could begin filming later this year.
