ROTTEN TOMATOES: Stephen Sommers Is Directing G.I. Joe, and That's Final

Stephen Sommers Is Directing G.I. Joe, and That's Final

Also: Who's writing the script?

by Jeff Giles | August 24, 2007

Discuss Article | Blog Article | Email To A Friend

The rumor mill said he was in, then out, but in reality -- as reported by Variety and IESB yesterday -- Stephen Sommers was Paramount's man for the G.I. Joe movie all along.

Well, maybe not all along. According to the Variety report, Sommers was really only hired Wednesday night, after pitching his idea to Paramount executives -- but the folks around the conference table apparently really loved that idea, because, as the article notes, "he was hired in the room." What is Sommers' idea, you ask? Variety will tell you:

While some remember the character from its gung-ho fighting man '60s incarnation, he's evolved. G.I. Joe is now a Brussels-based outfit that stands for Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity, an international co-ed force of operatives who use hi-tech equipment to battle Cobra, an evil organization headed by a double-crossing Scottish arms dealer. The property is closer in tone to "X-Men" and James Bond than a war film.

Okay, so the phrase "double-crossing Scottish arms dealer" makes us giggle for some reason; still, this sounds a whole lot better than all that "Action Man" nonsense from last week -- and compared to the Monopoly and Battleship movies Hasbro's got in the pipeline, it's Best Picture material.

Meanwhile, over at IESB (where, it's worth noting, the news of Sommers' involvement first broke), there's a post about who's writing all this. According to IESB's sources, Paramount has hired Stuart Beattie to write a new draft of the G.I. Joe script. Beattie -- whose previous credits include Collateral and 30 Days of Night -- will be starting from scratch, and is expected to have his screenplay on the table in six to eight weeks.

So there you have it -- now you know for sure who will be directing G.I. Joe. And knowing is half the battle!

Source: Variety
Source: IESB

Related Items

Celeb:	Stephen Sommers
	Stuart Beattie

(1-20 of 38 posts) | Reply

crudebob writes:
on Aug 24 2007 05:13 AM

Hmmm .... I was just wondering, has there been a Barbie movie yet? If not, it'll only be a matter of time before there will be now that Hollywood is face and eyes into the toy box.

(Reply to this)

Silver Snake writes:
on Aug 24 2007 05:45 AM

Well, now we know, and knowing is half the battle!

(Reply to this)

Silver Snake writes:
on Aug 24 2007 05:48 AM

In reply to this comment (#1067876)
LOL, ah, I guess I should have read the whole post. The writer already made that crappy joke. Ah, well, just more evidence that I could write for this site.

(Reply to this)

Elixor writes:
on Aug 24 2007 10:18 AM

GI-Joe with closer tone to X-Men? I guess knowing not to bother seeing the movie is really half the battle.

(Reply to this)

apostate writes:
on Aug 24 2007 10:35 AM

GI Joe: A Real American Hero.

I guess that doesn't fly anymore huh.

(Reply to this)

universalremobot writes:
on Aug 24 2007 10:49 AM

In the Marvel comics, Destro was a Scottish arms dealer......hmmmmm.

(Reply to this)

Rockslide writes:
on Aug 24 2007 11:19 AM

I agree with apostate G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, what part of that could they not understand? The whole concept and spirit of G.I. Joe is gung-ho (ironic, I know) Americanism at its finest. The show is very star spangled banner and fourth of July, that's part of what makes it great, to take that away or to make it anything less is butchery. How about making a Rainbow Brite movie, only now she's an emo kid with imaginary ghost friends. How about making a Thundercats film only now they are genetically altered humans in modern day L. A. fighting against M.u.m.r.a.- the Mutant Union of Murderers Raising Atrocities.

(Reply to this)

Vitamin M writes:
on Aug 24 2007 11:37 AM

rocksilde-i want that Thundercats idea of yours in script form in six to eight weeks! we'll be millionaries!
"M.u.m.r.a.- the Mutant Union of Murderers Raising Atrocities." That's priceless!

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Aug 24 2007 11:49 AM

Is this movie really necessary?

(Reply to this)

deadSoldier writes:
on Aug 24 2007 01:02 PM

What I think is funny is how everyone seems to be downing on the idea of a GI Joe movie. In Transformers, the character of Captain Lennox is a character from the GI Joe vs. Transformers comics, and there's probably others. The only way to make a GI Joe movie would be to make it as realistic as possible, but keep the key elements of the show and comics present - the humor, the commaraderie, the villains, the missions-specific units. It would easily work. What Bay did with Cpt. Lennox in Transformers was perfect - he portrayed them as REAL SOLDIERS. "Your a soldier now!", seems obvious to me.

(Reply to this)

Sputnik99 writes:
on Aug 24 2007 01:29 PM

arendr, did you play with anything besides a yo-yo when you were a kid? Because you sure seem to hate any move that is based on toys. Must be "Action-figure-envy."

Well, I've thrown out any faith in this movie now. The plotline for G.I. Joe has worked for over twenty years in the comics, but OH NO! The big movie director says "Hey, I've got a great new idea!" What's that ancient chinese proverb again? Oh yeah: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Too damn risky.

And Cobra is not run by Destro, Sommers. Big mistake number 2.

(Reply to this)

mlockstead writes:
on Aug 24 2007 01:51 PM

I guess many folks who post on here are American, the problem is, that flag-waving "American Hero" concept will NOT fly anywhere else in the world. How would the studio sell this movie outside of the United States if it with filled with flag waving. When I was a kid, I owned many of the toys, and still have many of the comic books stored away somewhere, but a comic book is much different from a feature film, changes are inevitable. I totally agree about the whole concept of Destro running COBRA though, but it's too early for me to form any opinions yet. Let's put it this way, I already mentioned how much I liked all G.I. Joe related stuff as a youngster, whereas I couldn't care a less about anything to do with Transformers. That said, I reluctantly saw the movie, and loved it. Anything can happen. We'll have to wait and see how the casting goes, that will also make a big difference one way or the other.

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Aug 24 2007 02:09 PM

In reply to this comment (#1070139)
Here's the reason I don't like movies based on toys/video games. They weren't meant to have a plot behind them. I've said this many times, but they are meant for you to control and act out fantasies. If you tack on a plot behind them it's almost impossible to do anything interesting because the selling point is that you're supposed to control the characters.

And I remember playing with GI Joes. I remember I made a cardboard gun and brought it to school because we pretended we were GI Joe characters during recess. If I had done that in today's schools I would have been expelled!

And hey, thanks for noticing a trend in my posts... I'm not really a negative person. Movies are my passion. Does a wine drinker drink crappy wines? Do you enjoy reading badly written books?

I hope to write and direct one day. This is my creative and critical mind in action.

(Reply to this)

Rockslide writes:
on Aug 24 2007 04:13 PM

There are tons and tons of "American Hero" movies that make the same amount of money overseas as they do domestic, even American war films with plenty of flag waving. Some make quite a bit more outside of the U.S. than they do in it, such as Saving Private Ryan, Pearl Harbor, Armageddon, even that piece of garbage Street Fighter the movie where Americans saved the day made double the box office outside the U.S. Very American movies like The Patriot, The American President, Air Force One, all made nearly the same overseas as in the U.S.. So where are these supposed "flag waving" films that don't work overseas? It seems more likely that a crappy movie doesn't work overseas versus an "American Hero" film. Do we shun Harry Potter because its characters are all from the U.K.? Do we refuse Pan's Labyrinth because it is Mexican made and set in Spain? Companies opt for a more "universal" mangling of properties to squeeze out an extra couple million, its not because American heros can't be marketed outside the states.

(Reply to this)

Sputnik99 writes:
on Aug 24 2007 04:51 PM

I see what you are saying, arendr. Most toys should let the children who bought them create their own world behind them.

But something that happens with action figures, be it human or robot, is that they are given a small background by the manufacturer. Now, something Hasbro did with G.I. Joe was go to the writer Larry Hama and ask him to write bio-cards for each figure. So, kids could live by the bio-cards or their own imagination. But as is occasionally done, a comic book series for G.I. Joe was used to promote the toy line, and who else was asked to write the series, but Larry Hama, the writer of the bio-cards. For 24 years the G.I. Joe identity, (except for the cartoon series, which is not considered definition by most collectors) has revolved around the bio-cards and the comic book series, both started by Larry Hama. Why does someone feel that they need to change it? I doubt there are many collectors who are thrilled about this complete change.

An arendr, although I sometimes disagree with your statements, please don't feel that I want to "pick a fight." I'm not that stupid! =)

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Aug 24 2007 05:24 PM

In reply to this comment (#1070448)
No worries, man. I like these kinds of arguments. And I respect your opinion. And I'm sure we've agreed in the past on certain issues.

Hey, I asked if the movie was really necessary and you gave a pretty good explanation for why it might be. If there are enough guys out there who want to see it just like you, then of course it should be made. I just don't have to go see it.

(Reply to this)

apostate writes:
on Aug 24 2007 06:45 PM

Sorry but the entire concept, from what I have read, is flawed. GI Joe is distinctly an American icon. Its the representation of american military heroism (or to some just plain militarism). If you want to make a movie about some international UN commando squad; great, go to it. Call it International Detachment Intelligence Operative Team or whatever. But calling it GI Joe is ridiculous, as it has nothing to do with the original concepts.

The whole draw of making a movie about childhood toys or stories is that we can reconnect with that part of our lives. If you just change everyhting and slap "Yo Joe!" on it you're defeating the whole purpose of it.

Ultimately it doesn't matter. It could have the greatest script/concept in the world but with the man responsible for Van Helsing in charge of it, it will inevitably turn it into a giant turd.

(Reply to this)

Volkovoy writes:
on Aug 24 2007 06:48 PM

First up, I'm in line for the Rockslide's Thundercats movie.

The movie execs don't really have to completely change the story of G.I. Joe. I can somewhat understand the whole American patriotism being, maybe, a little much in current times, but why not tone it down a bit. Also if my memory serves me correct (I'm not a avid fan) didn't they have solders from foreign countries in G.I. Joe as well. It just seems that the studio is buying the name to fill nostalgic seats, not preserving the heritage. Why not just make the movie and call it something else. Just my two cents!

(Reply to this)

CoUcH ToMaToE DoUgIe writes:
on Aug 24 2007 08:19 PM

so, i guess no more films based solely on the idea an american led

war team can ever be portrayed without being hated, huh? folks, are we now not allow

to make this type of film anymore because of the mistakes that have been made in

recent years? we need films to inspire not to denounce the idea that we can be

heroic forcebecause this country and world needs to see it can still be a reality.

but hey maybe our present president was inspire by such a novel idea by this

toy marketing cartoon so perhaps i don't know what to think? still, i just feel deep

down sad to be an american and worse that childhood memory of patriotism is being

replaced with some generic ideal that leaves me feeling empty. god, please let them

not do this with captain america as well.

(Reply to this)

darrinsgoodman writes:
on Aug 24 2007 11:45 PM

i loved the comic book series of g.i. joe and had hoped that if they ever did a live action version of this that they would follow the more realistic storylines that were often used there. the cartoons were fun too but they were cartoons. there could be a balance of the two who knows. i'm hopeful so we'll see how this turns out.

(Reply to this)