G.I. Joe franchise is currently developing a new movie following the scrapped Lady Jaye series and the box office flop spin-off Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura reveals that Paramount is looking into reworking the project from a series into a film feature.
In 2021, Paramount announced that the Lady Jaye series is in the works and will be heading to Amazon. It was supposed to be a separate story focusing on the character Lady Jaye (played by Adrianne Palicki in G.I. Joe: Retaliation) and linked to the franchise’s universe. Unfortunately, the plan never made it past the pilot episode.
G.I. Joe Franchise Is Coming Back From The Dead With A New Lady Jaye Movie
In a recent interview with Collider, G.I. Joe producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura shed light on the canceled series and revealed plans for the new feature:
“We actually developed a pilot with Amazon. This was before Paramount+, just as Paramount+ was coming in. It didn’t pan out.”
The show’s scrapped pilot is now being used to lay the groundwork for the upcoming third installment, although di Bonaventura claims it might take time. G.I. Joe: Retaliation, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, was released in 2013.
“We are in a lot of conversations about what to do with it as a film, and so I would have to say, most likely you’re going to see that come to fruition. How soon is always impossible to say. For a long time, there were no active conversations. There’s a lot going on right now.”
Despite performing well at the box office, the first and second installments were met with mixed reviews. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) was heavily bombarded with criticism from fans. Even Channing Tatum, who starred in both films, expressed his dislike for the movie. Snake Eyes spin-off sustained the bad reputation of the franchise after it reportedly grossed over $40 million against a budget of $88 million.
The planned third film has been in development since 2017, with Paramount Pictures wanting The Rock to return to lead G.I. Joe: Ever Vigilant. According to That Hashtag Show:
“The film is set to see Johnson’s Roadblock, who first appeared in 2013’s G.I. Joe: Retaliation, assemble a new team of Joes to stop terrorists from launching a dark matter WMD that will turn their targets to dust!”
Whether Paramount revives this concept or proceeds with the new Lady Jaye-centered film, there is no assurance that either will salvage the franchise.
Lady Jaye Film Might Bring Back An Original Cast
Adrianne Palicki starred as Lady Jaye in Retaliation, although there was no confirmation from Paramount and Hasbro that she has been tapped to reprise the role in the canceled series.
Regardless, Palicki is no stranger to this type of role. The actress is also known for playing Bobbi Morse on Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD from 2014 to 2016, with fans praising her take on the character.
Now that Paramount is planning to revitalize the G.I. Joe franchise and potentially build its own universe, avid fans will have to be more patient. With a scrapped pilot episode at hand, the studio is probably brewing something at the headquarters now that they have a concept in mind.
Source: Collider, That Hashtag Show
