As the superhero industrial complex matures, it feels like every actor available to star in a major comic book adaptation has already done so. Some have even done it twice: Chris Evans, Gemma Chan, and Robert Downey Jr. are just a few of the Marvel actors who’ve double-dipped. Downey is central to Marvel’s most baffling casting yet, returning as Doctor Doom after a successful 10-year run as Tony Stark. DC is getting in on the trend too: Aquaman star Jason Momoa was recently cast as the anti-hero Lobo, and if that shake-up wasn’t enough, The Penguin star Colin Farrell may also be looking for a second gig in the new DC Universe.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Farrell is in talks to play the title role in Sgt. Rock, the Vietnam War-era prequel from director Luca Guadagnino and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes. Though the film wasn’t originally part of DC’s reboot slate, it quickly rose to the top of the priority list. The only thing holding the project back now is casting: James Gunn and Peter Safran have been searching for “the perfect actor,” circling names like Daniel Craig for months. If negotiations with Farrell go well, then Sgt. Rock could swiftly move forward into production this summer. But is he a good fit, or is his casting playing into an annoying franchise trend?
