The Sgt. Rock is no longer moving forward at Warner Bros. and DC Studios, at least at this time. It’s a developing situation that’s a bit of a bummer for DCU fans who were looking forward to the project; however, it could also turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Let’s start with what we know: While it wasn’t part of the projects James Gunn and Peter Safran initially announced when becoming co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios, the Sgt. Rock moving started gaining traction in late 2024. Justin Kuritzkes was hired to write the script while Luca Guadagnino had been tapped to direct the film. Daniel Craig was initially believed to be eyed to star in the movie, though it was reported in 2025 that he was not involved in the project and, instead, The Penguin’s Colin Farrell was in negotiations.
Earlier today, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Sgt. Rock will no longer be moving forward, though there’s the possibility it could be resurrected at a later date.
“An insider said it came down to the project’s scheduling needs of shooting outdoors,” the article reads. “The insider said that the project was not going away, and would be reassessed at the end of the year for a possible summer shoot in 2026. Another source raised the possibility that Guadagnino remained untested in the realm of action movies, and even though the budget was in the $70 million range, a paltry sum for comic book movies, higher ups may have wavered in their confidence.”
TheWrap’s sources, meanwhile, noted that the cancellation “came down to scheduling.”
“The film, which would require a lot of exterior shoots, needed to start production this summer and wasn’t going to make its date,” The Wrap reports. “Budget didn’t appear to be an issue — it was meant to come in under $70 million, which for a high-priority comic book adaptation, is a bargain.”
Maybe Sgt. Rock will happen eventually, maybe it’s dead in the water — at this point, we don’t know. However, while the idea of a DCU movie made by Guadagnino does sound enticing, its potential demise may help the DCU better find its footing.
In order for the DCU to work, July 2025’s Superman needs to be a hit. Gunn and Safran are planning all kinds of projects beyond that, yes, but if Superman underperforms at the box office, Warner Bros. is going to take a look at the upcoming slate of DC movies and, more than likely, start making some changes. You don’t have to like that. But that’s the way the industry works. Notice how Disney is dialing back on their live-action remakes after Snow White underperformed? Filmmaking is a wonderful, beautiful art, but it’s also important to remember that it’s a business, and the people who are in charge are going to run it like a business.
Sgt. Rock, meanwhile, isn’t one of the most recognizable characters in DC. Comic readers know him, of course, but ask a family member who doesn’t know the difference between Zack Snyder and Scott Snyder what they know about Sgt. Rock and you’ll almost certainly get a “Who?” That’s not inherently a bad thing — not many non-comic readers knew who the Guardians of the Galaxy were before that movie came out, and look how that took off — but going all-in on a Sgt. Rock movie when the DCU hasn’t introduced some other core heroes, like Batman or Wonder Woman, is a bit of an odd choice.
Sgt. Rock being delayed or canceled could give time for Gunn and Safran to further develop some of the other DCU titles that are supposed to be happening, like Paradise Lost, The Brave and the Bold, Teen Titans, The Authority, and more. There’s been little news about projects since they were announced; instead, things like Sgt. Rock (up until now) and Clayface have been moved along at a quicker pace.
Now, that doesn’t mean the DCU needs to directly compete with Marvel, and that the only thing they should be worried about is creating a shared universe that leads to some type of event film — again, Guadagnino’s take on a DC movie does sound enticing. But taking some time to figure out what this franchise is going to look like and then announcing a game plan to the movie-going public may prove to be a better investment than just throwing a handful of projects at the wall and seeing what sticks.
Because, yeah, I want to see Sgt. Rock, but what if both it and Superman underperform at the box office? The DCU’s future would certainly be in jeopardy, to say the least, and I still want to see Swamp Thing, the Waller show, and all these other titles we were promised over two years ago, now, too. In order for the DCU to last, exist, and thrive, they need to build an audience. And building an audience means focusing on what works. Start with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Make sure the DCU is something people are actually going to pay to see and the expensive production costs are justified. Then we can get into stuff like Sgt. Rock.
The cancellation of Luca Guadagnino’s Sgt. Rock movie could be a blessing in disguise for DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures. Read More