Paramount is bringing G.I. Joe back to the big screen, and they’ve enlisted Bradley Cooper to lead the charge. According to an article by Deadline, Cooper will play Duke, the field commander of the elite military unit, in a new film directed and co-written by Danny McBride. This marks the first new G.I. Joe movie under the studio’s Paramount Skydance leadership and a fresh direction for the franchise.
McBride, known for his comedic work in shows like Eastbound & Down and The Righteous Gemstones, is set to direct from a script he co-wrote with longtime collaborators Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri. The film is described as a reimagining of Hasbro’s G.I. Joe franchise, which has been a pop culture staple for nearly six decades through toys, comics, cartoons, and movies.
Cooper isn’t just taking on an acting gig. He’s in high demand and reportedly made the film a priority, in part because of his enthusiasm for working with McBride. The actor is currently busy with several projects, including a prequel to Ocean’s 11 where he writes, directs, and stars alongside Margot Robbie. He also received acclaim for his film Is This Thing On?, which he directed, wrote, and starred in. The film premiered at the 2026 Venice Film Festival and earned him a Golden Lion for Best Director, alongside the Volpi Cup for Best Actor.
The new G.I. Joe film signals a fresh start for the franchise. Paramount Skydance’s co-presidents Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg have made franchise growth a key part of their strategy since taking over the studio. While a previous G.I. Joe crossover with Transformers was once in development, sources say that project is no longer moving forward, allowing McBride’s standalone vision to take center stage.
McBride has been a fan of the G.I. Joe universe since childhood. “It was always the one I got into,” he told Deadline. He’s approaching the project with a mix of respect for the source material and his own comedic sensibility. “We’re definitely leaning into it with a comedic sensibility, but it’s not a spoof,” he explained. “We’re trying to stay true to the tone of the comic and the cartoon.”
McBride’s previous experience includes writing 2018’s Halloween reboot, which was well-received by both fans and critics. That film’s success helped pave the way for the Halloween trilogy, known as the David Gordon Green trilogy, which grossed over $500 million worldwide.
For G.I. Joe, McBride says he wants to balance action with character-driven storytelling. “You’re following Duke and a group of other Joes,” he said. “There’s that town in the comic books, Springfield, that’s secretly all Cobra. That’s where our movie takes place.”
Paramount is eager to revive the G.I. Joe brand after it went dormant following the 2021 film Snake Eyes, which earned just $40 million worldwide. The studio sees McBride’s unique voice as a way to differentiate the franchise from other military action films.
The G.I. Joe brand has a long history, dating back to Hasbro’s original action figures in the 1960s. It evolved into the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line in the 1980s, which was accompanied by a popular comic book series and animated TV show. The franchise first hit the big screen with the live-action film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra in 2009, followed by G.I. Joe: Retaliation in 2013 and Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins in 2021.
Paramount Skydance is also developing several other major projects, including sequels to Days of Thunder and World War Z, a new Paranormal Activity film, a Star Trek project, and Sonic the Hedgehog 4. But for now, all eyes are on McBride and Cooper’s new take on G.I. Joe, which promises to bring a fresh dose of humor, action, and nostalgia to the iconic franchise.
The film is being produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian, who have been with the G.I. Joe franchise since its live-action debut. Zev Foreman will oversee the project for Hasbro Entertainment.