With his blockbuster sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows releasing this December, Twitch reports that Guy Ritchie is returning to a project he was previously attached to: the big-screen adaptation of Sgt. Rock.
Ritchie has previously been rumored to have been circling the 300 prequel Xerxes as well as a remake of Cannonball Run with George Clooney, but news on his involvement with those projects seems to have dried up. The filmmaker was also apparently attached to one of the King Arthur projects currently in development, but has returned to oversee the scripting of the WWII-set DC Comics property.
Sgt. Rock first appeared in 1959 as an unnamed WWII soldier in G.I. Combat, but over the years, Rock gained his rank and eventually his own series. I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence stepped in after Ritchie‘s departure, although he wanted to remove the character from his distinctive WWII setting and give the title a futuristic spin. Fortunately, Warner Bros. and producer Joel Silver are sticking with his roots as a badass war-time hero.
There are no other details yet, but I think that Ritchie sounds like the right fit for this project. Then again, I’m one of the few who think his interpretation of Sherlock Holmes is fun and engaging. Still, there was a time when comic books weren’t all about superheroes, zombies, robots, ninjas, or superhero zombie ninja robots. If Ritchie‘s team can nail the tone, this one could take a lot of people by surprise.
Would you see a Sgt. Rock movie? Are you familiar with the character?