Movies - TV
G.I. Joe: Renegades Got Canceled Because of Conflicting Toy Line Concerns
By JENNA BUSCH
Toys have often played critical roles in franchises like “Star Wars” and “He-Man,” helping market the shows and films to a younger audience. While these action figures can assist their franchise’s popularity and longevity, they can sometimes be a detriment, as was the case for animation writer Henry Gilroy’s “G.I. Joe: Renegades,” which lasted a single season before cancellation.
Gilroy’s single season of “Renegades” lasted from 2010 to 2011 and featured a story where the elite military unit became branded as terrorists after discovering something suspicious at the Cobra Industries pharmaceutical company. The issue was that the 2009 live-action film “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” had a similar plot to Gilroy’s series and a corresponding toy line already made.
Hasbro wanted to avoid their different toy lines competing with one another, so the company canceled the animated series. Even more of a slap in the face was that this was all happening right before the release of “The Avengers,” which led one executive to ask Gilroy, “Can you make all of the Joes into Avengers?” The executive also asked if Snake Eyes could be more like Wolverine.