New G.I. JOE Movie Will Be Directed by Danny McBride, and the Franchise Finally Feels Like It's on the Right Track
After being hired to write Paramount's next G.I. Joe movie, Danny McBride has now landed an even bigger role on the project. He's officially set to direct the film, marking his feature directorial debut, and as a lifelong G.I. Joe fan, that's a development that has me excited.
Plot details are still being kept under wraps, but sources say the movie has become a major priority for Paramount now that McBride is locked in as director.
While we still have a long wait before seeing it hit theaters, everything we've learned so far points toward a movie that's actually embracing what made G.I. Joe such a great franchise in the first place.
The G.I. Joe brand first launched in the 1960s as a military action figure line before exploding in popularity during the 1980s thanks to the animated series, comics, and the introduction of the elite commando team featuring fan favorites like Duke, Roadblock, Snake Eyes, Scarlett, and the rest of the Joes battling Cobra.
Paramount has already taken several swings at bringing the property to the big screen with G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra starring Channing Tatum, G.I. Joe: Retaliation starring Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis, and the 2021 spinoff Snake Eyes starring Henry Golding.
While each had moments fans enjoyed, none of them really captured the spirit of the cartoons and comics that so many of us grew up loving. That's why this new direction feels different.
McBride recently confirmed that the screenplay is finished and that the current goal is to begin production in 2027.
"I've written [the script]. Yes. I'm stoked about it. I'm really fired up about the script," he shared. "Paramount seems fired up about it. So hopefully we're shooting it next year."
That's certainly encouraging, but the biggest reason I'm optimistic is hearing McBride talk about what G.I. Joe meant to him growing up. He's approaching this as a genuine fan instead of someone simply adapting a recognizable brand.
"It was definitely the cartoons and the comics. G.I. Joe was my thing when I was a kid. I liked that more than Star Wars, more than anything. I loved G.I. Joe. I still have all the characters.
“I tried to give my G.I. Joe collection to my son, and he wasn't interested. You know who's interested? My daughter, who likes robots. That's who, that's who plays with Gung-Ho and Snake Eyes in the shower."
As someone who also grew up watching the animated series, collecting the figures, and reading the comics, hearing that made me more confident about this reboot. It sounds like someone who actually understands why fans have been waiting decades for a great G.I. Joe movie.
Interestingly, McBride originally pitched Paramount a film centered on the Dreadnoks, Cobra's gang of mercenaries, thieves, and vandals led by Zartan. While that sounds like an awesome idea, the studio wanted to reestablish the core G.I. Joe franchise before branching off into side stories.
McBride then teamed up with Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri, two of his longtime collaborators from The Righteous Gemstones, to build a completely new take on the franchise.
"Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri, who I wrote a lot of The Righteous Gemstones with, we sat down, and we cracked something that we really love a lot, and, weirdly, it grounds G.I. Joe. It's not a comedy," he promised. "It's suspense and action, and I think it's going to be a lot of fun."
That description immediately caught my attention. A grounded G.I. Joe movie focused on suspense and action sounds exactly like the direction this franchise should've explored years ago.
The comics often leaned into espionage, covert missions, and military tension while still delivering larger-than-life villains. There's plenty of room for exciting action without turning everything into cartoonish spectacle.
McBride also shared the first real story details, and this might be my favorite part of everything we've learned so far.
"You're following Duke and a group of other Joes. There's that town in the comics, Springfield, which is a town that's secretly all Cobra. That is where our film takes place. We have some pretty interesting people lining up to be in it, too. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but it looks like it's going to be pretty fun."
For longtime fans, Springfield is an interesting location in G.I. Joe lore. A town secretly controlled by Cobra creates endless opportunities for undercover missions, paranoia, espionage, and suspense. It's refreshing to see the filmmakers digging into the source material instead of trying to reinvent everything from scratch.
After years of watching Hollywood struggle to figure out what a G.I. Joe movie should be, this finally feels like a creative team that's looking in the right place for inspiration.
There's still plenty of time before cameras start rolling. If production begins in 2027 as planned, audiences probably shouldn't expect to see the movie until 2028 at the earliest, with 2029 feeling like a more realistic release window.
McBride has built an impressive career as a New York Times bestselling author, actor, writer, producer, and now director. He created and starred in The Righteous Gemstones after earlier successes with Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals.
His film credits include Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, and Alien: Covenant. He also co-wrote and produced the recent Halloween trilogy and published his debut book, Thrilling Tales of Modern Men.
I know some fans may still be skeptical after the previous films, and that's understandable. But between McBride's passion for the franchise, the focus on Duke, the Springfield setting, and a story rooted in the comics instead of trying to reinvent G.I. Joe, this is easily the most excited I've been for a G.I. Joe movie in a very long time.
Now let's hope they stick the landing. Yo Joe!