The DCU's Superman (2025) and other marquee titles, there’s one project that I truly hope hasn't been lost in the shuffle: Sgt. Rock.
Sgt. Rock is one of DC Comics' longest-standing war characters, dating all the way back to the 1950s. Created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert, Sgt. Franklin John Rock is the grizzled, cigar-chomping leader of Easy Company, a U.S. Army unit battling through the toughest missions of World War II. While Sgt. Rock stories have typically been grounded in gritty, realistic depictions of war; they also dipped notably into the supernatural. As such, Sgt. Rock could be the key to unlocking a whole new side of the DCU.
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One of the standout qualities of the new DCU is how wildly varied the first few chapters of its rollout appear to be. Rather than locking itself into a single genre or tone, the DCU is embracing a full spectrum of storytelling possibilities. That’s part of what makes James Gunn’s vision so compelling: there’s room for light-hearted optimism, eerie horror, and grounded action-adventure – all within the same shared universe.
Superman (2025) is setting the tone as a bright, earnest relaunch of the franchise’s most iconic hero. Yet alongside it, the DCU is producing a creature-feature-style Swamp Thing film, a supernatural noir in Constantine 2, and a horror-infused Clayface movie from Mike Flanagan. Then there are genre-spanning surprises like The Authority, which promises hyper-violent antiheroes, and Booster Gold, a sci-fi/time-travel comedy that couldn’t be more tonally different.
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What’s crucial here is that these projects aren’t just variations in costume design – they represent fundamentally different genres. The DCU isn’t trying to make every character fit into a house style. Instead, it’s working like a curated comic bookshelf come to life, where horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and pulp adventure all have their place. That’s what makes the prospect of a Sgt. Rock movie so thrilling: it can sit alongside Superman and Swamp Thing, but bring something entirely new to the table.
Reports About Sgt. Rock's Story Suggest It Could Be The Perfect Combination Of DC & Indiana Jones
Earlier in 2024, reports emerged that Sgt. Rock was quietly in development with none other than Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Bones and All) set to direct, and Colin Farrell attached to star. This wasn’t going to be a straight-laced war movie – it was pitched as a globe-trotting supernatural adventure. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the story would follow Sgt. Rock teaming up with a French Resistance fighter to track down the mythical Spear of Destiny – the very spear said to have pierced the side of Jesus during the crucifixion.
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In Christian mythology and various occult stories, the Spear grants its wielder immense power, and in this film, the goal was to find it before the Nazis could harness its dark energy for their war machine. That premise is pure Indiana Jones, with a DC twist. Swapping out archeology professors for hardened soldiers and Resistance fighters instantly changes the flavor while retaining the core thrills: secret relics, ancient myths, shadowy villains, and a race against time.
It’s also deeply tied to DC lore – the Spear of Destiny has played a significant role in the comics, even being used as an explanation for why certain heroes couldn’t enter Nazi-occupied territories during WWII. The idea of a DCU-set period piece that combines war action, religious mythology, and supernatural stakes is more than a homage. It’s an opportunity to create something that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I'm Hopeful The Reports Sgt. Rock Has Been Delayed & Not Canceled Mean it Can Still Happen
Unfortunately, 2025 brought some troubling news: Sgt. Rock may not be as far along as I hoped. In April, Deadline reported that plans to shoot the film in the UK in the summer of 2025 had been halted. Variety followed up with its own story, clarifying that Sgt. Rock was no longer “in active development” at DC Studios. That sounded suspiciously like cancellation – but a closer read suggests it might just be on pause.
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James Gunn himself hasn’t commented directly on the project, but insider chatter indicates that the delays may be logistical rather than creative. According to Variety, Sgt. Rock requires external shooting to take place in the UK during the summer, and production wasn’t quite ready to do so in 2025. However, there have been no updates confirming that filming could commence in 2026 instead.
Regardless, the creative team is reportedly still intact, and some sources continue to describe the project as “delayed” rather than shelved. There’s reason to be optimistic. Guadagnino has continued expressing interest in doing genre work, and Colin Farrell remains one of the most in-demand actors working today. If the DCU wants to prove it can handle more than just superhero action, reviving Sgt. Rock would send a powerful message that the franchise is willing to take big, unexpected swings.
Why Sgt. Rock Would Be Great For The DC Universe
A Sgt. Rock movie could allow the DCU to venture into new and exciting directions. Firstly, it would diversify the franchise’s audience. Not everyone is into spandex and superpowers, but there’s always been a sizable moviegoing crowd for pulpy, historical action adventures. From Inglourious Basterds to The Mummy to Captain America: The First Avenger, there’s a proven appetite for WWII-set genre films with fantastical elements.
Sgt Rock had a cameo in the DCU's Creature Commandos.
Sgt. Rock could reach moviegoers who otherwise wouldn’t be interested in DC properties – and maybe even hook them into the larger universe. Moreover, it’s a perfect sandbox for genre experimentation. With the right tone – gritty but fun, dangerous but stylish – the movie could set a new standard for how superhero universes incorporate war and mythology. Since the Spear of Destiny is part of established DC mysticism, the story could even plant seeds for other supernatural corners of the DCU to grow.
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Finally, Sgt. Rock has the potential to quietly expand the DCU timeline. By exploring the past, it could introduce historical touchpoints and lore that other projects can build on, like Creature Commandos. Maybe depict the origins of ancient weapons or the first appearance of meta-humans. Maybe the actions Sgt. Rock takes during WWII have ripple effects felt in modern-day stories. Either way, Sgt. Rock would be a huge potential addition, and I’m holding onto hope it will eventually emerge.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Variety
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