Danny McBride will direct the next “G.I. Joe” movie, based on the Hasbro franchise for Paramount Pictures, TheWrap has learned.
McBride, a self-described massive fan of the property, also wrote the script.
This is the first new “G.I. Joe” movie under the new Paramount Skydance regime and comes as the IP is being reignited after going dormant following 2021’s “Snake Eyes,” which grossed just $40 million.
While McBride has directed several episodes of TV, including spearheading his HBO series “The Righteous Gemstones” and “Vice Principals,” this new “G.I. Joe” movie will mark his feature directing debut. But he brings a serious “G.I. Joe” passion to the project.
“It was definitely the cartoons and the comics. G.I. Joe was my thing when I was a kid,” McBride said recently on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “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 plays with Gung-Ho and Snake Eyes.”
McBride is reaching out to his movie star friends to star, according to an insider.
In terms of story and plot details, McBride added: “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.”
The “G.I. Joe” franchise is a high priority for Paramount CEO David Ellison, who wants the film out before the company’s video game adaptation of “Call of Duty,” which has Taylor Sheridan attached to write.
Paramount’s first live-action attempt at “G.I. Joe” was 2009’s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” directed by Stephen Sommers. It grossed $302 million against a $175 million budget, but came amidst the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Paramount wanted it to perform higher.
Then came the Jon M. Chu-directed “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” in 2013, which starred Dwayne Johnson and attempted to soft-reboot the franchise. It grossed $376 million, but further installments stalled.
The “G.I. Joe” IP has gone through a resurgence in recent years with publisher Skybound breathing new life into the comic books with a run overseen by “Walking Dead” creator Robert Kirkman.
McBride is a New York Times bestselling author, actor, writer, director, and producer. He created and starred in HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones,” following earlier successes with “Eastbound & Down” and “Vice Principals,” and recently published his debut book, “Thrilling Tales of Modern Men.”
On screen he’s starred in everything from “Pineapple Express” to “Tropic Thunder” to “Alien: Covenant,” and has a lengthy voice work resume that includes “Kung Fu Panda 2,” “The Angry Birds Movie,” and “The Mitchells vs. The Machines.”
McBride also co-wrote and produced the David Gordon Green-directed “Halloween” trilogy and co-founded Rough House Pictures, which is based in Charleston, SC.
McBride is repped by Range Media Partners.