Colin Farrell is in talks to star as Sgt Rock in Luca Guadagnino’s World War II comic book movie, following Daniel Craig’s departure.
It looks as though Colin Farrell may well be enlisting for Luca Guadagnino’s Sgt Rock, with reports emerging today that suggest that The Banshees Of Insherin star has entered negotiations to play the grizzled combat veteran. The story has emerged (via The Hollywood Reporter) in the wake of Daniel Craig’s departure from the role last month, although reports differ as to whether the James Bond star was ever officially attached to the project.
Still, whether Farrell is a replacement for Craig or not doesn’t really matter. The actor is an incredible leading man and tends to put in his best work when working with filmmakers with more pronounced artistic inclinations. Guadagnino certainly falls into that category, and we’re already looking forward to what the duo will cook up for the DC Comics character beyond a stock, boilerplate war flick.
Early speculation last month suggested that The Bear and The Iron Claw's Jeremy Allen White was in line to wear the battered tin helmet and five-day stubble. But despite being a fine actor, the extra decade Farrell has on White feels like an important part of the role given that Sgt Rock is generally presented as the kind of career soldier that has seen and done it all.
The film is supposed to shoot this summer, and more than anything, we’re hoping to hear either Farrell or Guadagnino talk about their vision for the project. The thought of Luca Guadagnino making a comic book movie is still a fascinating one, and given how tonally different his films can feel, the mind boggles when considering all of the different directions this project could move in.
Will it be pulpy? Verite? Arthouse? At this point, we don’t know but following the success of 2019’s Joker, we’d take a standalone comic book movie directed by a filmmaker with a bold vision over another shared cinematic universe film. Divisive as Joker may have been in some quarters, at least it (and its sequel) were original takes on the material.
That’s what we’re expecting from Guadagnino, and with Farrell in talks to collaborate with the director, it looks as though he may have found an actor who isn’t afraid to experiment with the more offbeat aspects of his movie star persona.
We’ll bring you more on this one as we hear it.
