One of the most prominent franchises of the past few decades has to be Hasbro’s G.I. Joe. Initially starting off as a line of toys, Hasbro eventually expanded upon G.I. Joe once they saw how popular it was; they created various animated shows, comic runs, video games, and even a film series.
Although it’s been nearly a long time since the last movie, the next installment, Snake Eyes, will release on July 23rd, 2021, and will explore the origin story of the titular character and how he became a master assassin. Directed by Robert Schwentke (Red), the film will also feature a talented and gifted cast that includes many familiar faces that fans will recognize from their previous works.
Henry Golding (Snake Eyes): Crazy Rich Asians
The titular protagonist, Snake Eyes, is one of the most prominent characters to come out of the G.I. Joe franchise. A master swordsman and one of the best ninjas, Snake Eyes is known for his silent and cold-blooded demeanor.
Golding first burst onto the scene as co-lead Nick Young in the hit romantic comedy film Crazy Rich Asians. Quickly gaining attention for bringing charismatic energy to his roles, Golding has also appeared in films, such as A Simple Favor and Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen.
Andrew Koji (Storm Shadow): Warrior
Andrew Koji is set to star in the upcoming movie as Shadow Storm. With a skill set on par with some of the best assassins in John Wick, Shadow Storm is the ninja that helped make Snake Eyes the all-powerful warrior that he is. He and the titular protagonist occasionally find themselves at odds with one another, especially when Storm Shadow joins the villainous organization, Cobra.
A gifted martial artist as well as an actor, Koji is mainly known for his role as Ah Sahm in the Cinemax series Warrior, which was produced by F9 director Justin Lin. In addition, he has also appeared in Fast & Furious 6 as well as the Starz series American Gods.
Úrsula Corberó (Baroness): Money Heist
Initially played by Sienna Miller in the 2009 film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Úrsula Corberó is set to take up the mantle as the villainous Baroness in this prequel/reboot. The Baroness is the second in command to Cobra Commander and one of the prominent leaders in the Cobra organization. An expert spy, her radical beliefs have led her to orchestrate many acts of terror throughout the world.
For those wondering where they have seen Corberó from, she is best known for her role as fan-favorite Tokyo in the Netflix hit series, Money Heist. She has also made an appearance in Isabel and the TV adaptation of Snatch.
Samara Weaving (Scarlett): The Babysitter
Samara Weaving will play Scarlett, one of the original members of the G.I. Joe team, who is an expert martial artist and is skilled in counterintelligence and acrobatics.
Fans are looking forward to seeing Weaving in the role as she has already established herself as an up-and-coming star. While she is mostly recognized for playing Bee in The Babysitter and Grace in Ready or Not, some people might not know that she also had a small (but important) role in the Academy Award-winning Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Haruka Abe (Akiko): Ideal
A ninja with a similar background as Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, Snake Eyes will be the first time Akiko will appear in the G.I. Joe movie franchise, and she will be played by Haruka Abe. While not much is known about her character, it has been revealed that she is a trainee in Arashikage.
One of Abe’s most memorable roles is Miko, who was a guitarist in a band in the BBC series Ideal. She also played a shop manager in Cruella, and appears in Clean Bandit’s hit song “Rather Be.”
Takehiro Hira (Kenta): Lost Girls And Love Hotels
Another new character that has been added to the franchise, not much is known about Kenta besides the fact that he is a member of the Cobra organization and will be played by Takehiro Hira. Given his promotional character’s poster, Kenta’s menacing look suggests that he is going to be a tough antagonist for Snake Eyes.
For those wondering where they have seen the Hira, he most recently appeared as Kazu in Lost Girls and Love Hotels. Hira has also appeared in several films by filmmaker Takashi Miike, including Ace Attorney. In addition to his film and television roles, the actor has been in productions of various Shakespearean works, such as Othello and King Lear.
Iko Uwais (Hard Master): The Raid
The head of the Arashikage clan that trained Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, Hard Master developed a special bond with his trainees. Sadly, this bond was broken when his character met a tragic end. His murder caused a split between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, causing the former to join the G.I. Joe organization while inciting the latter to join Cobra.
One of the greatest martial artists working in film today, Iko Uwais has agreed to take up the Hard Master mantle in the upcoming Snake Eyes movie. For those wondering where they may have seen the actor, he is mainly known for playing Rama in the Raid franchise. Since then, Uwais has appeared in the films Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Stuber, and Triple Threat.
Peter Mensah (Blind Master): Spartacus: Blood And Sand
A leader of a dojo in Denver, Blind Master becomes a mentor to Billy, the son of Cobra Commander. The Blind Master eventually joins forces with the G.I. Joe Organization, being a member of the Arashikage clan and often helps the Joes with their missions.
With a long and illustrious career in acting, Mensah is best known for playing the strong and powerful gladiator, Oenomaus in Spartacus: Blood and Sand. He has also appeared in films, such as 300, and the television show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
