Paramount Pictures is advancing a reboot of its G.I. Joe franchise, with screenwriters Max Landis and Danny McBride each preparing script pitches based on the Hasbro toy line. The projects remain in early development stages, pending submission and studio review. This effort follows mixed box office results from prior films in the series.
Paramount Pictures has initiated development on a reboot of the G.I. Joe franchise, drawing from the Hasbro toy property. Screenwriters Max Landis and Danny McBride have been tasked with writing separate scripts, according to reports. The studio will evaluate the submissions before deciding on greenlighting any projects.
Max Landis, son of filmmaker John Landis, previously wrote films such as Chronicle and American Ultra. His career faced significant setbacks during the #MeToo movement when multiple women accused him of sexual and emotional abuse. He was subsequently dropped by his representatives, though no charges were filed.
Danny McBride is known for creating and starring in HBO series including Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones. He has appeared in films like Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express, and This Is the End, and provided voice work for Paramount's Angry Birds movies. As a screenwriter, McBride co-wrote the 2018 Halloween reboot alongside director David Gordon Green and Jeff Fradley, though their subsequent attempt to revive The Exorcist did not succeed.
The franchise's previous entries include the 2009 film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, starring Channing Tatum, and its 2013 sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation, featuring Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson. Those two movies combined to gross $678 million worldwide. In contrast, the 2021 prequel Snake Eyes, led by Henry Golding, earned only $40 million globally amid post-pandemic challenges.
This reboot aligns with Paramount's broader review of its intellectual properties, such as Transformers and Star Trek. A potential crossover between G.I. Joe and Transformers was hinted at in the 2022 film Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, directed by Steven Caple Jr. Lorenzo di Bonaventura, producer of the Transformers series, has also overseen the G.I. Joe films. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the involvement of Landis and McBride, and Paramount representatives offered no comment.
