The DC Studios film Sgt. Rock from director Luca Guadagnino was quite a surprise when it was announced. The addition of Daniel Craig to the cast was an even bigger shocker. Now it appears that Craig won’t actually be involved with the project. Deadline has confirmed a report from Nexus Point News that Craig has left the project. The WWII-themed superhero film would have seen Guadagnino and Craig reteam after their pairing on A24’s Queer.

As for the reasons for the departure, no one knows yet. Guadagnino is still set to direct this film ahead of his much-anticipated version of American Psycho that he’s been working on. Justin Kuritzkes wrote the screenplay for Sgt. Rock.

The character of Sgt. Franklin John Rock was created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert and first appeared in DC comics in 1959, Our Army At War. He was a WWII soldier who served in the infantry. He got his own comic series in 1977 which ran until 1988. While he doesn’t have any “superhuman” abilities, he’s one of the greatest soldiers ever seen in comics. Some of his accomplishments include taking down a plane with just a submachine gun, and surviving gunshot wounds with the best of them.

Who Could It Be Besides Daniel Craig?

Daniel Craig is no stranger to action roles or even playing elder statesmen, like in the Knives Out flims. He’s got all the chops and then some to play a character like Sgt. Rock. Luca Guadagnino is an accomplished director of his own, but it does seem like a strange fit with comic-book material. Maybe they’ve got a new angle to work from. His recent films include Queer (with Daniel Craig), Challengers, and After The Hunt.

It could be that Daniel Craig doesn’t want to take a role that even remotely resembles James Bond after playing that character for such a long time. As for a new actor, THR is offering Jeremy Allen White as a replacement for the role. They’re also saying that the departure could be scheduling-related or it could be due to the box office and critical reception to Guadagnino’s Queer.

We’ll keep you updated on this news as it develops.

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Source: THR, Deadline, Nexus Point News

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