Another G.I. Joe movie is in development at Paramount, one that will serve as a follow-up to the upcoming Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins reboot. It’s been over a decade since the first live-action movie based on Hasbro’s popular IP hit theaters, but the toy company and Paramount are still working together to help G.I. Joe achieve new heights. The first two attempts at G.I. Joe movies performed well enough at the box office but were not well-received critically. With more than $675 million earned between those two films, though, Paramount and Hasbro are now focused on making a sprawling franchise around the Joes.
The new direction for the G.I. Joe franchise (after failing to get G.I. Joe 3 off the ground) is scheduled to being later this year. Paramount has a Snake Eyes origin film slated for a fall release, and the movie, starring Henry Golding as the fan-favorite silent assassin, has yet to be delayed as a result of coronavirus. Filming wrapped in late February of this year, too, so Snake Eyes might be able to complete post-production without any delays. Before Paramount and Hasbro have a chance to see how the film is received, though, they are already moving forward with plans to tell more stories in this universe.
According to THR, Paramount and Hasbro are in negotiations with Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse to write the script for an untitled G.I. Joe movie. The film isn’t described as a sequel to Snake Eyes per se but rather an expansion of the universe that will take audiences “deeper into the world of Joe.” Shrapnel and Waterhouse are best known for writing the Kristen Stewart-led drama Seberg and recently became attached to upcoming projects like The Great Machine, which is based on a comic by Brian K. Vaughan. This report also notes that Shrapnel and Waterhouse did uncredited work on Snake Eyes.
With the writing duo already having a foot in the G.I. Joe world, after polishing the script for Snake Eyes, their potential hirings for a follow-up could be a positive sign about how the movie is shaping up. Now, the question just becomes whether or not Snake Eyes can stick the landing and generate excitement for more G.I. Joe films. Although this report doesn’t confirm Golding will return as Snake Eyes for the new movie, that does seem likely in an attempt to crossover the latest version of the character with the rebooting Joes who will be featured. This could also be a place for other Snake Eyes characters, like Samara Weaving’s Scarlett, to return.
There might not be any word on a director or release date for the new G.I. Joe movie, but it is the latest example of Paramount and Hasbro building plans for a larger franchise based on the IP. It was reported late last year that a different G.I. Joe movie was in development that may feature the character named Chuckles. As long as that project is still in the works, then this gives Paramount and Hasbro three G.I. Joe related movies in various stages of development. The success or failure of Snake Eyes will undoubtedly go a long way in determining if these other projects happen, but if they do, then the G.I. Joe franchise could continue to grow – and maybe allow Paramount to pull off the Hasbro shared universe they’ve been hoping for.
