Luca Guadagnino isn’t afraid of adaptations, having remade the cult classic Suspiria, but his next project could take him in a new direction: comic book adaptations.
Nexus Point News reports that Guadagnino is in talks with DC Studios to team up for a film version of Sgt. Rock. The report notes that the filmmaker will re-team with Justin Kuritzkes, who will pen the script. Little is known about the project, but it’s noted to be a period piece set during World War II.
Writer Robert Kanigher and artist Joe Kubert created the character. He first appeared in Our Army at War #83 in 1959. Sgt. Rock is described as a tough, no-nonsense leader of Easy Company, a unit in the U.S. Army during World War II. He’s often portrayed as a gritty, battle-hardened veteran with a strong sense of duty and leadership. His stories typically focus on the harsh realities of war, the camaraderie among soldiers, and the struggles faced on the battlefield.
A Sgt. Rock project has been in development since the 1980s, with several writers attached to the film and even more drafts written. At one point, Arnold Schwarzenegger was attached to play the role, and for a while in the 2000s, Bruce Willis was in talks about the role. There’s only been one actual live-action appearance for the character with a soldier (Blair Penner) bearing similarities to Rock, who appeared in Legends of Tomorrow.
These days, Guadagnino is quite a busy filmmaker. He’s coming off this year’s Challengers, as well as his upcoming film festival darling, Queer. He is currently adapting Don Winslow’s City of Fire with Austin Butler set to star.
Stay tuned for more news on this potential Sgt. Rock project.
