DC alongside Marvel is largely considered the birthing ground of all superhero movies. The studios have earned a reputation for taking superheroes from the comic to the pinnacle as they redefine brilliance with every movie. While neither of the two studios stands as a good argument for ‘not all heroes wear a cape,’ one of the most beloved DC comics featured a hero without a cape. And to further push the narrative, it was about to be turned into a movie led by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Around the same time that Tim Burton’s Batman was in the making, the Austrian Oak was gearing up to present himself as the courageous World War II hero, Sgt. Rock.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger almost became a DC superhero

It is clear how much of an impact Arnold Schwarzenegger as a superhero would have had, given how fans regularly imagine him as one using AI-generated pictures. However, there was a time when an Austrian Oak-led superhero project was actually in the making. The former bodybuilder was set to star in a Sgt. Rock film that many renowned directors such as Quentin Tarantino and John McTiernan were willing to bring to life. But the movie never made its way out of pre-production.

Had Sgt. Rock started filming before Batman, it may have hit the theaters before Flash. However, for one reason or the other, the filming kept getting delayed.

With how eager everyone was to bring the DC superhero to life, why it was shelved remained a mystery. It was not until Nick de Semlyen wrote his book The Last Action Heroes that the perpetrator of the crime became known.

Why did the Sgt. Rock movie get shelved?

In 1987, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John McTiernan, and Shane Black created magic at the box office with Predator. Naturally, they wanted to recreate the success and even had the ball rolling at just the right pace with a Sgt. Rock draft. However, said draft required the approval and presence of another star by the name of John Cleese. McTiernan was hell-bent on casting John Cleese alongside Schwarzenegger.

He felt that the Faulty Towers actor would prove to be the perfect bickering partner for the Austrian Oak. Given how the creators imagined the movie to be heavy on comedy, even drawing inspiration from Imitation General, Cleese’s rejection kicked it to the bottom of the fit. As the filming kept getting delayed, Schwarzenegger also moved on and made Total Recall. However, he left with a bitter feeling towards the Predator studio.

Do you think Arnold Schwarzenegger would have done justice to the role of Sgt. Rock? Let us know in the comments below.