Daniel Craig Exits Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Sgt. Rock’: What This Means for the Upcoming Film

Daniel Craig has stepped away from Sgt. Rock, a World War II superhero film from DC. This project was meant to reunite him with director Luca Guadagnino, following their work on A24’s Queer. The exact reasons for Craig’s departure are unclear, and representatives from DC Studios haven’t commented on the situation.

Craig was first connected to Sgt. Rock earlier, as it is one of Guadagnino’s upcoming films. Before this project, Guadagnino collaborated with Justin Kuritzkes, who wrote the script. They worked together on films like Challengers and Queer.

Sgt. Rock, created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert, first appeared in Our Army at War #83 in June 1959. Sgt. Franklin “Frank” Rock leads the fictional Easy Company during World War II, making him a memorable figure in comic book history. Over the years, many actors have portrayed the role, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis.

Guadagnino’s film Queer is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival and will open in theaters in November. This film adapts a semi-autobiographical novella by William S. Burroughs, featuring Craig as William Lee, an American in 1950s Mexico City who struggles with his sexual identity while pursuing a younger man. Critics praised Craig and his co-star Drew Starkey for their performances, although the film did not receive an Oscar nomination.

Looking ahead, Guadagnino is working on a thriller titled After the Hunt, set to be released on October 10, starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, and Andrew Garfield. Daniel Craig will also be seen later this year in the third installment of Knives Out, called Wake Up Dead Man.