“G.i. Joe: Revenge” director John M. Chu has said he might return to the franchise. Like its 2009 predecessor, the 2013 film is based on the popular Hasbro toy line. Starring the likes of Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, and Channing Tatum, “G.I. Joe: Revenge” pits G.I. Joe forces once again against Cobra, and this time they have to contend with a threat from within the government. That sequel was followed by the poorly reviewed Snake Eyes in 2021, and the series has been dormant ever since.
Chu, who is currently promoting Wicked, was asked if he would return to the G.I. Joe franchise in the future. While not ruling anything out, the director stressed that he’s going to be busy over the next few years, with Wicked 2 (slated for release in November 2025) as his next project.
Chu said:”G. Joe, I’m in the magic world. I mean, I love G.I. Joe World, Snake Eyes, all those guys. Henry Golding. I love his Snake Eyes. You never know. You never know, but now I have a second one to go to, and my Joe is Filo.”
What do Chu’s comments mean for the future of special Forces? So far, no separate G.I. Joe movie has been announced. “Snake Eyes,” released in 2021, was a major flop. With an estimated budget of at least $88 million, the film only grossed around $40 million at the global box office, which seems to have put an abrupt end to solo production plans for future G.I. Joe films. While Chu’s G.I. Joe: Revenge had its most successful year at the box office in 2013, grossing $376 million worldwide, it was panned by critics and currently holds a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (the audience score, while improved, is still a disappointing 48%).
The first film, “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” was released in 2009 and grossed $376 million worldwide but also received negative reviews from critics.
As for the future, the G.I. Joe/Transformers crossover is the only G.I. Joe movie on the horizon. While it looks like it’s still in its early stages, it looks more like a Transformers movie with G.I. Joes than a crossover of two movies. There’s a lot of uncertainty about how the series will work, and it’s unlikely Chu will direct it. However, if the film is a success, Chu could be involved in anything that comes next, depending on his schedule.
Chu’s possible return to G.I. Joe is that the franchise needs a new direction. Chu’s comments about the return seemed less optimistic. Overall, the series hasn’t really executed well, with the previous three films all disappointing in some way. After the end of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, the upcoming crossover could be a fresh start, which is exactly what G.I. Joe needs right now. Although G.I. Joe: Revenge was a critical flop, Chu may return once the series finds its footing.
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