A new G.I. Joe movie is officially in development at Paramount, and the studio is taking an unconventional approach: commissioning two entirely separate scripts from two very different writers. According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety, Chronicle screenwriter Max Landis and The Righteous Gemstones creator Danny McBride have each been hired to write independent treatments for the long-dormant franchise, with the studio possibly blending the two into one film.
G.I. Joe Movie Gets Two Writers and a Controversial One at That
Paramount is looking to revive its G.I. Joe franchise, with Max Landis and Danny McBride each penning scripts based on the Hasbro toy franchise. The projects are in early development, with further decisions to be made once the scripts are finished and submitted.
The hiring of Landis is the most eyebrow-raising element of the announcement. Max Landis is back with his first Hollywood project since his career implosion in 2019. He was accused by multiple women of sexual and emotional abuse during the height of the #MeToo movement. Though no charges were ever filed. The Chronicle and Bright writer had been largely absent from major studio projects ever since.
McBride, by contrast, brings a more consistent track record. Despite being best known for his comedic work, McBride has done work in alternative genres before, such as co-writing the latest Halloween Trilogy for Blumhouse Pictures and Universal, which was a strong commercial success.
A Franchise with a Rocky History
The G.I. Joe film universe has never quite found its footing. Starring Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Lee Byung-hun, and Dennis Quaid, the first movie made just around $300 million globally against a reported budget of $175 million. It earned poor reviews and sits at a 33% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its 2013 sequel, Retaliation, fared slightly better commercially but is currently sitting at a 28% score on RT.
The franchise’s most recent attempt, the 2021 origin story Snake Eyes, with Henry Golding, failed to spark at the post-Covid box office, earning just $40 million worldwide.
The Transformers Crossover: Still a Possibility?
Fans had long been anticipating a G.I. Joe and Transformers crossover, teased at the end of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in 2023. Reports suggest that Paramount has not forgotten about the teased Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover, though its status remains uncertain amid the Paramount-Skydance merger and Hasbro stepping back from co-financing film projects.
Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura is also the producer on the G.I. Joe movies, keeping the door open for both franchises to eventually share the screen.
What This Means for the G.I. Joe Franchise
Since Paramount Skydance officially merged, company head David Ellison has moved quickly to get certain major franchises back on track. The dual-script strategy isn’t new Paramount previously used a similar approach with Transformers and Star Trek. Developing two scripts at the same time is somewhat rare, but not unheard of. It occurred with the rise of studios’ focus on franchises and big IP plays in the 2010s.
Whether the two scripts merge or one races ahead, one thing is clear: after years of false starts, Yo Joe is back in the conversation.
What’s Next
No director, release date, or cast has been attached to either project. With both treatments still in early stages, the road from here to a greenlit film remains long. But with David Ellison aggressively reviving Paramount’s IP slate, the G.I. Joe franchise appears to finally have momentum again.
