Paramount Revives G.I. Joe with Two Competing Movie Treatments — And It’s Already a Mess

Just as Paramount Pictures secures the green light to acquire Warner Bros., the studio is making another bold — and perhaps desperate — move in the entertainment world: reviving the G.I. Joe franchise with not one, but two competing movie treatments. And from the sound of it, this entire endeavor is already shaping up to be a chaotic, exhausting mess.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount is commissioning separate scripts from two very different creative voices: comedian and writer Danny McBride (known for Eastbound & Down and The Righteous Gemstones) and Max Landis (writer of Chronicle and creator of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency). The plan, according to sources, is to have both men write their own takes on the G.I. Joe universe, with the intention of later combining the two into a single cohesive vision.

But here’s where it gets messy — another source claims the two projects are being developed completely independently, with no plans to blend them. So, which is it? Are we getting a hybrid G.I. Joe movie stitched together from two wildly different creative minds, or two separate films vying for the studio’s attention? As of now, the answer remains unclear, and that ambiguity is already raising eyebrows in Hollywood.

This marks Paramount’s latest attempt to make G.I. Joe a box office powerhouse. The franchise has seen a rocky history on the big screen, with the first two live-action films — G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) — earning mixed reviews and modest returns. Then came 2021’s Snake Eyes, a standalone origin story that underperformed both critically and commercially, leaving the franchise in limbo.

Now, Paramount is doubling down — but not without controversy. Max Landis, one of the writers tapped for the project, has a complicated history. In 2017, several women accused him of sexual assault, allegations that he has denied. The decision to bring Landis back into the fold has drawn criticism, especially given Paramount’s own history of rehabilitating controversial figures. Before its merger with Skydance, the studio hired John Lasseter — the former Pixar chief ousted over allegations of misconduct — to lead Skydance Animation. More recently, Paramount announced Rush Hour 4, to be directed by Brett Ratner, who also faced accusations in 2017.

This pattern of re-embracing problematic figures has not gone unnoticed, and it raises questions about the studio’s priorities: Is it more concerned with talent and track record than with accountability? Or is this simply a case of Hollywood’s revolving door, where past misdeeds are overlooked in favor of potential box office returns?

For now, the G.I. Joe experiment remains in its early stages, and much is still unknown. Will McBride’s irreverent, character-driven style mesh with Landis’ darker, more fantastical approach? Or will the resulting film feel like a Frankenstein’s monster of competing visions? Only time will tell.

In the meantime, Paramount is also pushing forward with other high-profile projects, including the latest installment in the Scream franchise. Scream 7 hits theaters this weekend — though, fair warning, early reviews suggest it might not be worth your time. (Or, as one critic put it: “Maybe not.”)

As the dust settles on this latest G.I. Joe saga, one thing is clear: Paramount is swinging for the fences, even if it means striking out in spectacular fashion. Whether this gamble pays off remains to be seen — but one thing’s for sure: Hollywood never fails to entertain, even when it’s a mess.

Tags: #GIJoe #Paramount #DannyMcBride #MaxLandis #Hollywood #MovieNews #FranchiseRevival #BoxOffice #SexualMisconduct #JohnLasseter #BrettRatner #Scream7 #WarnerBrosAcquisition #Skydance #EntertainmentIndustry #FilmDevelopment #Controversy #BoxOffice #MovieTreatments #HollywoodMess

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• “The G.I. Joe saga continues, and it’s already a disaster waiting to happen.”

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