- Primary Subject: Danny McBride directing and writing Paramount Pictures' new G.I. Joe film reboot
- Key Update: Danny McBride is officially confirmed to make his feature directorial debut with Paramount's new G.I. Joe film.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: July 16, 2026
- Quick Answer: Danny McBride will write and direct Paramount's grounded G.I. Joe reboot, set in the Cobra-controlled town of Springfield and targeting a 2027 filming start.
Danny McBride is now officially set to direct the new G.I. Joe movie that is currently in the works at Paramount Pictures.
In the last several months, The Righteous Gemstones star and creator has been working on a screenplay for a new G.I. Joe movie in an attempt to revive the franchise with a fresh take. Fans have been looking forward to seeing whether the project moves forward and what vision McBride has, especially given his comedic background.
What to Expect in Danny McBride's New G.I. Joe Movie
Deadline confirmed that Danny McBride is officially attached to direct the new G.I. Joe movie, in addition to writing the screenplay.
This will mark his directorial debut in a feature film, as he had previous experience in directing episodes of his HBO series The Righteous Gemstones and Vice Principals.
The project is said to be a high priority for Paramount Pictures now that McBride has also come on board as the director of the film.
So far, the plot details are currently under wraps, although McBride already teased about the story that he has been working on for his version of G.I. Joe.
"[It follows] Duke and a group of other Joes. There's a town called Springfield that is secretly all Cobra. That is where our film takes place," he said in the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
The plan is to begin filming in 2027. As for the casting, no actor has officially been attached yet, but there have been reports online that Bradley Cooper is being eyed to lead the movie.
For now, stay tuned for more news updates regarding the development of the new G.I. Joe movie in the coming months.
The History of G.I. Joe Movies
Before dominating the silver screen, G.I. Joe began in 1964 as a standard military action figure. The franchise found its true identity in the 1980s with a massive relaunch. This era reimagined the brand as a high-tech commando strike force fighting the evil Cobra organization, spawning a wildly popular animated series and introducing legendary characters like Duke, Roadblock, and the silent ninja Snake Eyes.
Decades later, Paramount Pictures brought the universe to live-action. The cinematic journey kicked off with 2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, starring Channing Tatum as Duke. The studio followed this up in 2013 with G.I. Joe: Retaliation, doubling down by bringing in mega-stars Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis to inject new energy into the franchise.
Looking to explore the origins of its most popular character, Paramount pivoted in 2021 with the prequel spinoff Snake Eyes. Starring Henry Golding as the titular warrior, the film traded massive military battles for martial arts and personal stakes. However, it was severely panned by critics and became a box office bomb, effectively killing off any plans for more spinoffs.
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