'Sgt. Rock' on duty with Francis Lawrence and Chad St. John

“Sgt. Rock,” a long-gestating project based on the World War II hero from DC Comics, is moving forward … by going into the future.

Francis Lawrence is attached to direct, and Chad St. John, who wrote the spec “The Days Before,” is charged with writing the new take. Joel Silver, who has been steering the project for nearly 20 years, is teaming with Akiva Goldsman, who recently boarded as producer, to bring the project to the big screen via Warner Bros.

Silver Pictures’ Andrew Rona also is producing, and Weed Road’s Kerry Foster is exec producing.

Sgt. Frank Rock was the leader of his infantry unit, Easy Company. He first appeared in a 1959 issue of “Our Army at War.” In 1977, the comic was renamed “Sgt. Rock” and ran until 1988.

Until now, “Rock” has retained its World War II setting, with Silver and the studio trying to make a big-budget action adventure movie that was a throwback to flicks like “The Dirty Dozen,” which feature acts of American derring-do.

But a big budget always was an obstacle and, “Inglourious Basterds” notwithstanding, period war movies have not been in vogue in Hollywood for years, unless it was a more serious contemplation of the subject like “Saving Private Ryan.” Also, American jingoism went out of style after 9/11; even this summer’s G.I. Joe movie dropped the toy’s “A Real American Hero” tagline and made the action team internationally focused.

The studio hopes moving the time period to the future solves the dilemma.

The World War II version has been popular with execs and talent, with such scribes as Brian Helgeland, John Milius, David Peoples, Jeffrey Boam, Steven De Souza, John Cox and Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo tackling the adaptation. Arnold Schwarzenegger was tipped to play the hero at one point.

Guy Ritchie most recently was attached to “Rock,” having worked on the script he was attached to direct. He has moved on to work with Silver on DC Comics’ anti-hero pic “Lobo.”

Warners’ Jon Berg is overseeing “Rock,” which will be a Silver Pictures and Weed Road production. Gregory Noveck is overseeing for DC Comics.

St. John, repped by ICM, wrote the spec “The Days Before”; it was plucked by Warners, which then signed him to a two-picture deal. He wrote a remake of “Outland” and the action project “Motor City,” which Silver is producing.

Lawrence, repped by CAA and 3 Arts Entertainment, directed “I Am Legend,” the 2007 Will Smith actioner, as well as “Constantine” for Warner Bros.; both were produced by Goldsman. Lawrence’s next project is likely to be “Water for Elephants,” Fox 2000’s adaptation of the Sara Gruen novel.

Comments

[Hattori Hanzo]

Sgt. Rock 'is' WWII., not some kind of futuristic warrior. Very, very, BIG mistake to go any other route than what he was created for.

[Matt]

No. Just no. That sounds awful.

[Mike D]

Fuck this bullshit! Sgt. Rock in the future? "Soldier", anyone? Sgt. Rock is WW2! Fucking idiots! Francis Lawrence, after making "Constantine" lame and turning "I Am Legend" into a second-rate Bob Marley joke, is going to take the one thing that makes Sgt. Rock unique? Pathetic.

[OverweightOinker]

Kool! Another MEGA Million DC COMICS FLOP!!!!!!!

[The C Man]

Why even call it Sgt. Rock? It will be nothing like the original source, so call it something else. Royalties to DC will not have to be paid, and the audience that this is being shopped to most likely doesn't even know who Sgt. Rock is. This only makes fans of the comic upset and will not go to see it. Then you can have your shoot 'em up in space big budget film and everyone is happy. And DC doesn't have another big flop on it's hands.

[lasttreeonearth]

Prepare to have yet another childhood icon raped before your eyes.

[Ultra-Humanite]

Do these people just sit awake at night and dream up ways to make awesome comic book characters suck?

[mike]

NO! NO! It would work in WWII !! They are out of their minds. I grew up with the sarge, there is no other way to do it. There was some cool comics back the, ( weird war tales, the haunted tank ,etc. ) It was bad enough when Marvel made Sgt. Fury a spy for S.H.I.E.L.D. Leave the classics alone!

[Brian Marr]

American jingoism? In SGT. ROCK? Of "MAKE WAR NO MORE" fame?

Jesus, at least read the source material.

[chickenrex]

Don't tell me, let me guess. Marcus Nispel? Uwe Boll? Paul Anderson? Take your pick.
They've made this movie before. It's title was (insert name of pointless sci-fi action flick here)and I'm not interested in seeing it again. Make it WWII or don't make it.

[Tony Gray]

Oh no you don't! If that isn't a fucking Hollywoodheaded idea then the Pope got married yesterday; and if DC signs off on this....? Goes right up there with casting Keanu Reeves as John Constantine. I thought comic book companies getting involved in filmmaking was about proper adaptation not this idiocy.

[Ike Iszany]

I can't wait to not see that movie.

[StevenArtist72]

Keep it set in W.W.II...Cast Bruce Willis in the lead...Sgt. Rock...Easy Co...Fighting Nazis...Doesn't have to be a riff on Inglourious Basterds and it may not make Dark Knight level $$$ but by casting Bruce Willis and staying true to the Robert Kanigher/Joe Kubert source material, it could have possibilities. It's a W.W.II epic and if Warner Bros./D.C. Ent./ and The Joel Silver Co. don't wake up and realize what they're doing is a bad idea?
Well, it may flop harder than G.I. Joe (which I'm fearing they are possibly going to base this flick on to an extent)!
If this even gets off of the ground...which I'm doubting if The First Avenger: Captain America succeeds as it's set during W.W.II...I'm calling it now...DISASTER AND FAILIURE!

Warner/D.C.E./Silver Co...Quit dropping the ball here.

You may think that a majority of comments on internet sites like this one and many others are just militant opinion, but aside from the obvious trolls that invade the 'net, even the most articulate and well thought out postings and comments aren't taking too kindly to this news.

Quit trying to improve it with Hollywood magic and stick to the source material and do the flick in that spirit and heart.

Want a good version...no...A GREAT VERSION OF SGT. ROCK TO ADAPT TO THE BIG-SCREEN (Besides the obvious pick of the Kanigher/Kubert stories)?

The D.C. Comic entitled Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion by Billy Tucci (Shi).

Also: Sgt. Rock: Prophecy.

[David]

Go rent the DVD "The Big Red One" starring Lee Marvin. As close to a Sgt. Rock film as your were ever going to get.

[Homeowner Loans]

Why, why WHY?!

[getlost's blog]

Joe movie dropped the toy’s “A Real American Hero” tagline and made the action team internationally focused.

[herbs]

I don't know much of this comic book adaptation but it is being murmured that Francis Lawrence may be reuniting with his "I Am Legend" star Will Smith for a fantastical drama titled "The City That Sailed" at Twentieth Century Fox. The director is busy developing the project.

[picture framer glasgow]

wow info that u have given in this blog is really impressive..Iam very happy to visit ur blog..

[Kevin]

I still can't believe what I'm reading. This is such a bad idea that the best dictionary in the world wouldn't have enough adjectives to describe how misguided and stupid this modern age Sgt. Rock move is. I'm very disappointed in this move. I hope that DC and even Joe Kubert will not give this plan their support. It's obvious that whoever made this decision has never read even one issue of Our Army at War or Sgt. Rock comics.