Colin Farrell, celebrated for his portrayal of the iconic DC villain Penguin, is reportedly in negotiations to join the world of DC once again, this time in the World War II action film Sgt. Rock, directed by Luca Guadagnino. The film is being produced by DC Studios.
This development comes after actor Daniel Craig, who had previously expressed interest in the role, officially stepped away from the project. Craig is now considering a role in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia adaptation for Netflix. In February, DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran clarified that no formal offer had been made to Craig, and that Sgt. Rock would begin filming this summer—only if the right actor was found.
With negotiations for Farrell reportedly moving forward, the film is on track for a summer shoot at DC Studios’ production hub in England. Should the deal be finalized, Farrell would portray the tough-as-nails leader of Easy Company, a group of soldiers battling Nazi forces in Europe during World War II.
Sgt. Rock, a character created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert, first appeared in DC Comics in 1959. The character’s comic series was one of the publisher’s longest-running books. Over the years, the role has attracted big names such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis, who were previously attached to bring the character to the big screen.
The film’s script has been penned by Justin Kuritzkes, the screenwriter behind Guadagnino’s Challengers and Queer.
Farrell’s portrayal of the Penguin as a ruthless crime lord in Matt Reeves’ The Batman earned widespread acclaim, and he reprised the role in the Penguin spinoff series on HBO. The role won him several prestigious awards, including a SAG Award, Golden Globe Award, Critics’ Choice Award, and Saturn Award. Farrell is expected to return to the role in the highly anticipated The Batman sequel, which DC Studios hopes to begin shooting by the end of this year.
If the deal for Sgt. Rock comes through, it would also highlight DC Studios’ willingness to reuse actors from previous projects in new roles. Jason Momoa, for example, will reprise his role as Aquaman in 2023 and also play the anti-hero Lobo in Supergirl: The Woman of Tomorrow, which is currently filming in England and set for a June 2026 release.
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