(Image: Paramount/Skydance)
Back in February, Paramount and Skydance kicked off a new reboot plan for the "G.I. Joe" franchise, commissioning two separate scripts from comedian Danny McBride and "Chronicle" writer Max Landis. Ultimately, the studio moved forward with McBride's version, and the writer has now shared some insight into his vision for the new film.
During a recent appearance on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, McBride revealed he has been a massive fan of the "G.I. Joe" franchise since childhood, collecting the toys and avidly following the cartoons and comics. He even noted that for him, "G.I. Joe" held more appeal than the "Star Wars" saga. McBride then offered a few details about his script.
McBride explained that he had initially pitched a different film to Paramount/Skydance. After that project was passed on, the studio asked if he'd be interested in tackling a "G.I. Joe" reboot, an offer he excitedly accepted. He later brought on his writing partners from the HBO series "The Righteous Gemstones," Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri, to co-write the script.
(Image: Paramount/Skydance)
McBride estimates that Paramount is very pleased with the script and that filming could begin as early as next year. He stressed that his "G.I. Joe" will not be a comedy like his usual work, but rather a very realistic and serious suspense-action film. He also confirmed that Duke will once again be the main protagonist and that the story's primary setting will be Springfield—the secret town where Cobra hides out, a key location from the comics.