Paramount Pictures is taking another shot at the G.I. Joe franchise after years of mixed results. The studio found major success with Transformers, but G.I. Joe has struggled to land with audiences. After two earlier films and the 2021 reboot Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins failed at the box office, Paramount is trying a new direction with a surprising choice behind the camera.
Danny McBride has signed on to direct a new G.I. Joe movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. McBride also wrote the winning script, beating out a competing version from writer Max Landis. This will be McBride’s first time directing a feature film, though he has directed episodes of the HBO series The Righteous Gemstones.
McBride is best known for comedy roles in films like Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, and This Is the End. On television, he built a strong following with Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones. Still, his writing credits show a different side. He co-wrote the recent Halloween trilogy for Blumhouse and worked on The Exorcist: Believer, which leans into darker material.
McBride has made it clear this G.I. Joe film will not be played for laughs. He described the project as a grounded suspense thriller. The story will follow Duke and a group of Joes and pull from the original 1980s Marvel Comics. That source material revealed that Cobra was secretly operating out of a quiet American town called Springfield.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, McBride explained the core idea. He said the entire town of Springfield is actually controlled by Cobra. That setting will serve as the main backdrop for the film, adding a layer of tension that past versions did not explore.
Production is expected to begin in 2027, and casting is already in discussion. McBride did not name actors, but rumors suggest Bradley Cooper could be in talks to play Duke. Paramount has not announced a release date yet.
The studio is treating this reboot as a priority as it looks to revive key franchises. Alongside G.I. Joe, Paramount is also developing a new Star Trek film from John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein and a live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles project. For now, the pressure is on McBride to deliver a version of G.I. Joe that finally connects with modern audiences.
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English (US) · 