Guy Ritchie to Direct 'Sgt. Rock'?
Filed under: Action, Warner Brothers, RumorMonger, Comic/Superhero/Geek, War
Joel Silver thinks he will, and he would probably know. Silver gave a long interview with Moriarty over at AICN, where the long and torturous road of Sgt. Rock was brought up. And the answer was surprisingly optimistic: "I'm going to make that. I'm going to make that very soon. With Guy Ritchie, I think." When pressed for more details, Silver would only reply with, "I hope so."First, does anyone else think it's crazy that DC Comics would deliver a movie about a humble soldier on-screen faster than the Green Lantern or Wonder Woman? When I think of must-see DC properties, Sgt. Rock doesn't come to mind -- but that might just be me.
And if you're unfamiliar with Sgt. Rock, Wikipedia has his long and glorious WWII history. The short answer is that he is the WW2 soldier to end all soldiers, having fought in every campaign there was. Depending on who you talk to, he either died in the war or lived on to perform covert operations for the United States.
A movie adaptation has been in the works since the late '80s, when Arnold Schwarzenegger was in talks to play the heroic infantryman, but it has sputtered out time and time again. Last year, John Cox was hired to write a screenplay and IGN reported that the movie would get the 300 treatment. Bear in mind, that was April 2007 when every producer of every film was trying to give them a 300 treatment.
Ritchie would be an interesting choice for a comic book property. He's not unfamiliar with the territory, with The Gamekeepers under his belt. It would be cool to see him adapt an existing character and storyline, and a WWII storyline at that. Shake him up a bit. I hesitate to really go, "Oh, yes, awesome!!" because, frankly, everything hinges on RocknRolla for me. (Incidentally, the Silver interview contains no small amount of praise for it. Please let it be true, because I want to believe that Russian mafia + Gerard Butler will be all I dream of.) So count me in the neutral category, which seems to be rare when it comes to Ritchie. Please rectify that by choosing a side for me, dear readers.










Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-14-2008 @ 11:21AM
Gina said...
"Does anyone else think it's crazy that DC Comics would deliver a movie about a humble soldier on-screen faster than the Green Lantern or Wonder Woman?"
I gotta say the military brat in me likes the idea. :-) Not that I know Sgt. Rock from Adam's off ox, but I always like to see the humble soldier getting his due.
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5-14-2008 @ 1:06PM
Jonathan said...
Sorry Elisabeth... just dont' think you are the right blogger to be doing DC or Marvel posts. You just don't seem to get it. They are all good characters and if it's a good story, then make the movie. This is one that can cross over and grab non-comic book fans as well.
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5-14-2008 @ 1:13PM
Moo said...
Jonathan, how does she "not get it" exactly? Sgt. Rock could be a very cool film, but it's a MUCH more obscure character than a Wonder Woman or Green Lantern. I think the writer's point is a good one. That said, I agree with the potential cross-over appeal. But...is this the right time to be making an adaptation of an American comic book soldier?? I dunno. I mean, I'd see it, but I don't know how this would play outside of the US (or even inside the US in certain regions).
So please explain your point.
5-14-2008 @ 2:03PM
Elisabeth said...
Jonathan, insulting me is not a good way to make a point.
First, there's been a lot of talk lately about DC needing to catch up with Marvel in the superhero movie department. I'm not denying that it Sgt. Rock wouldn't make a good movie, with mass appeal -- but he's not the character to do that. And he's not the DC character that comic book fans are dying to see. I doubt he would make a Top 5 list.
Does that mean he shouldn't get a movie? No, but I find it funny that he's further along the pre-production route than their franchise superheroes. From a marketing and profit standpoint alone, Green Lantern would make more sense than Sgt. Rock. Only one can end up as a Big Gulp cup.
If you don't see that, then it isn't me who has the problem.
5-14-2008 @ 2:17PM
Jonathan said...
Wow. Kind of thin skinned, aren't we?
Saying that 'you just don't get it' is insulting? You're kind of making my point again that maybe being a critic isn't your thing, especially if you can't take a little criticism back.
My point (and I do have one) is that with so many characters, and if you have a good script, why wait to make the movie? That's like the old philosophy of 'you can't get married until your older sister does.' I don't see what one has to do with the other. Imagine what you would hear from fans by rushing a Green Lantern or Wonder Woman script into production that isn't any good. To me, that's worse. Take a look at the different comic or graphic novels made into movies that not only weren't top tier characters but most people who saw the movie had no idea that they were based on comic characters (think Blade or 30 Days of Night).
Yes, DC needs to catch up with Marvel but they don't have the luxury right now of their own production company.
So thicken up that skin sweetheart and take each one on its own merits.
Cheers!
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5-14-2008 @ 2:30PM
Moo said...
boy Jonathan, you're a condescending douche, aren't you? It's not like she flamed you, your response was far more inflammatory than necessary.
Your "point" has nothing to do with your comment that the writer shouldn't be doing DC or Marvel posts. So what was that, then? Trolling? Stating that someone doesn't "get it" in a vacuum is certainly not any sort of constructive criticism.
Now, on to your "point". DC needs to catch up with Marvel. You've admitted this. Is Sgt. Rock going to get them there??? I highly doubt it, and I don't care how good the film is. The writer noted that it wouldn't be in anyone's "top 5 list" of DC properties. It's more like Top 20. I could be a really cool flick, but it's not going to close the gap in any appreciable way.
And that goes back to the writer's original point which you seem to have missed: DC needs to get in the game on Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, etc. No they shouldn't rush a bad script...but they'd better be rushing to get a good one. They are in danger of being left in the dust.
5-14-2008 @ 5:13PM
Elisabeth said...
"Sweetheart"? Oh, you're a sexist too. Cute! That explains it all, actually. Between that and Moo's eloquent responses, I don't feel I need to add anything further to the discussion.
5-14-2008 @ 2:35PM
Moo said...
And I'm not sure I'd cite 30 Days of Night to back up your point given that its domestic gross barely matched its production budget, it was a critical failure, and a bad movie...
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5-14-2008 @ 5:18PM
Jonathan said...
Liz - can't take criticism. Can't take a compliment.
Typical. Bet you're pining for Hillary too.
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5-14-2008 @ 5:30PM
Elisabeth said...
Wow, you really must be a hit with the ladies.
And no, I pine for Obama. That's the only reason I'm compelled to reply -- you can accuse me of just about anything but voting for Hillary Clinton.
5-14-2008 @ 5:40PM
KON! said...
Jonathan, give up.
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5-14-2008 @ 8:01PM
Cincinnati Mike said...
Guy Ritchie? Oh, FUCK no!
This thing has been in turnaround since 1988, as I recall. Why now all of a sudden? And why Guy FUCKING Ritchie?
Unbelievable. By the way, that's Rock in my avatar.
Easy Company...MOVE OUT!
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