Update 4/30: Deadline is now reporting that, according to their sources, Sgt. Rock could still potentially film in the summer of 2026. DC and Warner Bros. have not commented on the matter, meaning it’s unclear whether or not the movie is truly happening.
The Sgt. Rock movie being made for DC Studios has been canceled.
Luca Guadagnino had previously been tapped to direct a DCU Sgt. Rock movie. Daniel Craig was believed to be eyed for the lead role in the film for a time, though it was then reported earlier this year that he was not part of the project. The Penguin’s Colin Farrell, instead, was in negotiations to portray the titular character in Sgt. Rock.
The project was in pre-production at DC Studios and Warner Bros., and there were plans to film it in England. According to The Hollywood Reporter, however, the project is no longer moving forward.
The reason for Sgt. Rock’s cancellation remains unclear at this time. DC Studios had no comment for The Hollywood Reporter.
“An insider said it came down to the project’s scheduling needs of shooting outdoors,” the article states. “The insider said that the project was not going away, would be re-assessed 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.”
According to the article, Mike Faist, who previously worked with Guadagnino on Challengers, was “lined up for a role” in Sgt. Rock, while “a part of a female French resistance fighter had also been set.”
The article further reads, “Although it has a World War Two setting, the story is said to involve Rock teaming with up with the female French resistance fighter (are there any other kind?) to find the mystical Spear of Destiny, the spear used to stab Jesus Christ during his crucifixion and in lore is said to have supernatural properties, before the Nazis get their hands on it.”
Sgt. Rock wasn’t initially part of the DCU projects that James Gunn and Peter Safran announced when they were appointed co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios. Safran did say (via Deadline) about the project in February 2025, however, “What we love about Sgt. Rock is the opportunity to tell a story about heroism and conflict in a compelling and unique way. Justin [Kuritzkes] really wrote a wonderful screenplay, and that’s what catapulted that project to the forefront.”