Casting Rumors, Screenwriting rumors and official statements, a lot has been happening with the big screen adaptation of G.I. Joe.
First up is a rumor from our friends at IESB: Paramount Pictures has offered the role of Duke to George Clooney. Apparently the big screen star walked away from Joe Carnahan’s White Jazz not only due to scheduling conflicts, but because Clooney is looking for a big blockbuster. Who knows if any of this is indeed true or just Hollywood gossip, and even so, who knows if Clooney would be interested in staring in a G.I. Joe movie. The idea could translate into a really really horrible film, so I’ve assumed [...]

Variety has now confirmed a rumor that hit the movie websites a couple weeks ago: The Mummy series director Stephen Sommers has signed on to direct a big screen live-action G.I. Joe movie. The studio is hiring a writer immediately, IESB is reporting that Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean, Collateral, Derailed, 30 Days of Night, Spy Hunter) is the man for the job. And they probably know, because they were the ones who broke this story a few weeks back. Paramount is fast-tracking the project for a summer 2009 release, which means production will begin this February. Variety claims that Sommers was officially hired after making a pitch to [...]

According to IESB, Mummy series helmer Stephen Sommers knows something, and “knowing is half the battle!” That’s right, Paramount Pictures has offered Sommers the chance at making a live action G.I. Joe movie. With characters like Cobra Commander and Serpentor, GI Joe has the potential to be an fun accessible army action film like never seen before.
Sommers wouldn’t be my first (or second, or third…etc) pick as director, as I’ve genuinely hated most of his later films (Deep Rising, The Mummy Returns, Van Helsing). But I always stuck up for The Mummy, which was a fun but slightly cheesy action/adventure film. Sommers is capable of making a good action film. [...]