Who Is Sgt. Rock, the New Addition to James Gunn’s DCU?

Daniel Craig is in talks to bring one of DC Comics’ most iconic war heroes to life, as the former James Bond star circles the role of Sgt. Rock in an upcoming film from DC Studios. The project has attached acclaimed director Luca Guadagnino (Challengers, Call Me By Your Name) to helm the adaptation, with a screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes. 

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The high-profile cast and crew indicate that Sgt. Rock is a significant project for DC Studios. Surprisingly, though, James Gunn and Peter Safran are bringing the big guns for a project about a character unknown to the general audiences. So, who is Sgt. Rock? And why should you care about his movie?

The Birth of a War Hero

Sergeant Frank Rock emerged from the pages of DC Comics in 1959, created by the legendary duo of writer Robert Kanigher and artist Joe Kubert. First appearing in Our Army at War, Rock quickly became the face of DC’s war comics, eventually earning his own self-titled series in 1977 that ran until 1988.

Born to a Pennsylvania steel worker in 1909, Frank Rock’s journey to military greatness began after a stint as a local boxer known for never staying down. After enlisting in the army in 1935, Rock found his true calling as the leader of Easy Company, where his unwavering determination and leadership skills would become legendary.

The character’s popularity stemmed from his unique position at DC Comics as a non-powered hero whose stories explored the human cost of war rather than superhuman feats. Throughout his comic book run, Sgt. Rock stood apart from typical war narratives by focusing on the emotional toll of conflict and the bonds formed between soldiers. His adventures often explored themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and the moral complexities of warfare, earning him a place in DC’s pantheon of heroes.

Nevertheless, as a human character in the middle of World War II, Sgt. Rock remains mostly disconnected from the larger DC universe, where gods and monsters fight for the fate of the world or even the universe. Yet, the fact Gunn and Safran are backing a movie about the war veteran indicates he can play a bigger role in the DCU.

Sgt. Rock Could Connect to Creature Commandos

It remains unclear whether Sgt. Rock will be part of James Gunn’s main continuity or an Elseworlds tale. However, the heads of DC Studios have focused most of their energies on building an interconnected cinematic universe. So, it’s safer to bet the project will be somehow part of the DCU. Plus, the link between a World War II soldier drama and a universe of caped heroes already exists, thanks to the upcoming release of Creature Commandos.

The DCU’s first animated series follows a group of monstrous prisoners of Belle Reeve sent by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) on dangerous international missions. Among the Creature Commandos rank is GI Robot (voiced by Sean Gunn), a Nazi-killing machine created during World War II. As the Creature Commandos trailer already revealed, the series will explore GI Robot’s past, including how he fought alongside the Easy Company. 

The logic is simple: if the Easy Company exists in the DCU, Sgt. Rock also does. Therefore, a movie dedicated to the gritty soldier can fit Gunn and Safran’s new cinematic universe. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for new developments on that front.

Creature Commandos will premiere exclusively on Max on Thursday, December 5th. There’s still no release window for Sgt. Rock.