Daniel Craig exits Luca Guadagnino's a live-action Sgt. Rock film, with Craig reported to be in talks for the titular role. Challengers and Queer scribe Justin Kuritzkes was hired to write the screenplay, with production reportedly eyed to start sometime in 2025.
In a new report from The Hollywood Reporter, the trade reveals that Craig is no longer attached to Sgt. Rock, which was in development at DC Studios. It's unclear why Craig stepped away from the film; sources say his schedule was incompatible with his wife's, actor Rachel Weisz, while others claim he "soured on the role" after his previous collaboration with Guadagnino, Queer, underperformed. At the time of this story's publication, DC Studios and Craig's representatives had yet to comment on the Sgt. Rock report.
What Daniel Craig's DC Exit Means For Sgt. Rock
Casting For His Replacement Is Already Underway
Time will tell if Craig was ever attached to Sgt. Rock at all, as DC Studios and James Gunn didn't comment on the original report that emerged in late 2024. However, just because Craig is no longer starring in Sgt. Rock doesn't mean that DC Studios is scrapping the WWII-based film. Since filming is slated for later in 2025, the studio is reportedly looking at other actors for the leading role in Guadagnino's movie, with The Hollywood Reporter claiming that a handful of names are in the mix.
Sgt. Rock made his DCU debut in Creature Commandos season 1, where he was voiced by Maury Sterling.
One actor mentioned for the lead role in Sgt. Rock is The Bear star Jeremy Allen White, although whether there have been any official talks with him wasn't clear. If Allen were to be tapped for the DC project, it would mean that Sgt. Rock would focus on a younger version of the character, given the age difference between the Shameless alum and Craig. However, there is always the possibility that Allen may not be the one they hire in the end for DC Studios' Sgt. Rock, as it all depends on what goes on behind-the-scenes.
Our Take On Daniel Craig's Sgt. Rock Exit
Craig Could Get Another DC Role Someday
As disappointing as it is to hear that Craig has departed Sgt. Rock, there is an upside to this. DC Studios could look at a different role for him down the line, especially in Gunn's DCU. If they had gotten this far with Craig, leading to him almost starring in a major DC Studios movie, it may be a sign that the actor is open to the comic book movie genre. However, for now, time will tell what will happen to Sgt. Rock, as DC Studios is now back to square one in of casting.
Source: THR
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The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
