“Seberg” screenwriters Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse are in talks to write a new “G.I. Joe” movie for Paramount and Hasbro, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
The new film is a follow-up to “Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins” and will be the third live-action film based on the “G.I. Joe” toy line. The new sequel will focus on the origins of the fan-favorite character known for his masked face, black commando uniform and ninja training.
“Snake Eyes,” which wrapped production before the pandemic, centers on the early days of Snake Eyes, when he tries to become a member of the Arashikage Clan, a ninja kinship-based in Japan. According to “G.I. Joe vs. Cobra: The Essential Guide,” the Arashikage worked as shadowy assassins for generations, using deception to earn their keep as ninjas, as well as developing a reputation for being able to perform impossible tasks.
Robert Schwentke, the director of “Red” and “R.I.P.D.,” directed “Snake Eyes,” which starred “Crazy Rich Asians” breakout star Henry Golding played the lead ninja commando. The film will be released on Oct. 16.
“G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” grossed more than $300 million worldwide back in 2009 on a reported production budget of $175 million, not including prints and advertising. The 2013 sequel “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Road Block grossed $375.7 million on a budget of $155 million. Channing Tatum, who played Duke in the first two films, was killed off early in “Retaliation” after complaining to Howard Stern how much he hated the role.
Best known for writing Kristen Stewart drama “Seberg,” Shrapnel and Waterhouse did an uncredited production polish on “Snake Eyes.” The pair are also writing “The Great Machine” for Legendary which is an adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan’s Eisner Award-winning comic book, “Ex Machina.”
Shrapnel and Waterhouse are repped by Grandview, Curtis Brown, and attorney Sean Marks.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.