New G.I. Joe movie: First details about the story have been revealed
Screenwriter Danny McBride hints at an upcoming start to filming
There's news about the planned "G.I. Joe" movie! Screenwriter Danny McBride spoke about the current status of the project on Josh Horowitz's "Happy Sad Confused" podcast. Most exciting of all: he also revealed the first details about the plot.
Initially, McBride – who, among other things, co-wrote the screenplay for the 2018 "Halloween" sequel – had envisioned a movie about the Dreadnoks. They're a notorious group of mercenaries from the "G.I. Joe" universe. When he pitched the idea to Paramount, the studio made it clear that they didn't want to revive the franchise with the Dreadnoks. So McBride came up with something else. Now, Duke, one of the franchise's central characters, is set to take center stage in the new film.
G.I. Joe: What Danny McBride's new movie is about
Together with other "G.I. Joe" members, he must face off against Cobra, the terrorist organization that repeatedly serves as the antagonist to the beloved heroes. The story is set in Springfield, a city that, despite its unassuming name, has a lot going for it – because it appears to have been secretly infiltrated by Cobra. According to McBride, we can expect a grounded take on the material. On the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, he explained:
"It's not a comedy. It's like kind of suspense and action and I think it's going to be a lot of fun."
Filming could begin soon
His enthusiasm might also stem from the fact that he was a huge fan as a child and loved "G.I. Joe" – even more than "Star Wars." McBride didn't just talk about the story, however; he also hinted at an imminent start to filming. The script is apparently already finished, so he hopes filming will start as early as next year.
McBride didn't mention who will star in the new "G.I. Joe" movie. In any case, the protagonist Duke is a character who has appeared in "G.I. Joe" film adaptations before. Channing Tatum played the role in 2009's "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" and 2013's "G.I. Joe: Retaliation." It remains to be seen who will take on the role this time around.
Here's how G.I. Joe has fared at the box office so far
The "G.I. Joe" franchise has been around for decades. In addition to the famous action figures, which first saw the light of day in the 1960s, fans have also enjoyed animated series and comic books. The franchise has also made it to the big screen several times. In 2009, "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," directed by Stephen Sommers, was released. The film was panned by critics but featured a star-studded cast, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sienna Miller, Jonathan Pryce, Rachel Nichols, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Lee Byung-hun, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid, and the aforementioned Channing Tatum. The film grossed $302 million at the global box office.
Four years later, the sequel managed to top that figure: "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," directed by Jon M. Chu, grossed $375 million worldwide. The popular action stars Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis, who joined the cast this time around, certainly contributed to that success. However, this installment of the series didn't receive overly positive reviews either. Fans had to wait until 2021 for another film to be released: "Snake Eyes." There was another change in the director's chair: this time, Robert Schwentke was responsible for directing the film. Reviews were mixed, but at the box office, the film – starring Henry Golding – was a flop. With worldwide box office receipts of just 40 million, "Snake Eyes" fell far short of expectations. It will be interesting to see if Danny McBride's new take on the franchise will be more successful.
