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Stephen Sommers Returning for Paramount's G.I. Joe Sequel

by Alex Billington
August 3, 2010
Source: The Wrap

He's back! Hollywood's favorite "hack" is back for more as The Wrap reports that Stephen Sommers will return to direct the G.I. Joe sequel for Paramount, which I'm sure will have a much longer title by the time it's released. I was surprised to see G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra do well enough in 2009 to actually warrant a sequel, but it made over $300M worldwide and the "fans" (what few there are of this movie) demanded it. Sommers' confirmation of his return is news because there were some reports that he had troubles with the studio working on the first movie, but I guess they worked out their differences, or they had no other option.

Before I get any crap for calling Sommers a "hack," he was popularly called that after the dust settled on the alleged rumors of the studio's struggles with him, and his filmography doesn't really help things either. The Wrap says Channing Tatum is expected to reprise his role as Capt. Duke Hauser in the sequel, but we're not sure who else is returning. The good news is that Zombieland writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick worked on a draft of the screenplay, so maybe they'll have a great script for Sommers to butcher when he shoots. I'm just not a fan of this big screen franchise at all and I'm not looking forward to this sequel, but that's only me.

Filed under Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Jasn

Two hours of just Snake Eyes fighting Stormshadow would be win. All the others were meh.
Eli

Why? There was nothing alluring about this film. You're better off watching the preview for the first film because they showed all of the awesome scenes in it. Everything in between was garbage. Of course, there are those die hard fanboys who will promote it just cause.
http://movies.iconocritic.com peloquin

I wonder if JGL will go slummin for this due to some personal obligation to any of the cast or crew. ...I really hope he passes seeing as he could choose any project he wants now.
Cracky

$300 mil. I hated this movie (and any movie like it). But power to them with those kinds of earnings.
CLAW

I thought the first one was some good mindless fun and enjoyed it but it could have been alot better if the script was better and Sommers wasn't directing. I have no idea how Sommers keeps getting work its a mystery, well they let Joel Schumacher and Joe Johnston keep making movies so maybe Hollywood is just stupid.
Big Boss

Great. More black outfits and power suits. I'm riveted. NEXT!
harm

meh more mindless entertainment...
Xerxex

No.
Jimmy Love

I just printed out this page and used it for toilet paper, thats what I think of the not so gi joe movies
nelson

302 million WW on a $175 million dollar budget is that a profit don't you have to double your budget to break even and they did'nt even do that weird it got a sequel
http://www.nicksears.com Nick Sears

I couldn't tell if it was my low expectations or not, but I enjoyed Rise of Cobra. Just need a new mask for Cobra. The one he had on wasn't all that cool? Too translucent of a multi-shaped mask.
Chris H.

The first Joe movie was alright for a brainless guilty pleasure flick. Unfortunately, Hasbro and their partner movie studios LOVE these exact types of movies. It's very sad. Trading in Sommers would have given everyone a chance to give this movie franchise a second chance. Now that Sommers is back... and assuming Channing Tatum is back... it doesn't matter who wrote the movie, it's going to suck big floppy donkey dong. G.I. Joe deserves better.
Wing

Note to Hollywood: Please stop raping and pillaging my childhood.
max s.

i hought that the first one was just a bit of mindless fun and i understand the people who hated it, but at least it was better than the garbage that was transformers 2. anyways, i'll probobally just see it for more snake eyes action (snakeeyes was the best part of the movie no doubt and he better get some more screentime) and just sit back, take out my brain, and relax
Brian

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
asfss

I LOVED the first one... It's good mindless fun and there's nothing wrong with that. I hope there's more Storm Shadow though... he kicked ass int he first one.
Jimmy Love Fan

@ #9 LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
MMH

The only redeeming quality about this film was the Hot Red Head, and even that wasn't really enough to redeem this SHLOCK that I still want my money back from.
mandarin

Duke cant act. What kind of army veteran cant even call a proper 'Ten Hut!' ? Those power suits are unrealistic. The pull of GiJoe is a team of various specialists who pool their abilities to win against Cobra, the Russians and etc. Some characters are popular like Snake Eyes, Roadblock and etc.
GMA

movie was great...u fuckin noobs shut up... u have no idea about a good Movie!!!
Philip J Fry

yeah come on guys! GI Joe is the best movie to come out since Gigli! ...lol...
Suzzane

What's Alex's problem with Stephen Sommers?
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?src=fftb Bionic_ben23

@ #13. Lol Note to Hollywood: Please stop raping and pillaging my childhood.
Cineprog

I've got to say that I enjoyed GI Joe And The Rise of Cobra it was o.k.
GET TO DA CHOPPAAAAAA

This is terrible news. He totally destroyed the franchise with the first film. He'll only have a fighting chance if he tries to copy the GIJOE: RESOLUTE animated film...that totally kicked ass!
Bob

Trying to post my comment again... Apparently the script is already out there for the Joe sequel... http://www.box.net/shared/bg7tuz61mg
almartva

G.I. Joe and Transformers 2 are in a league of their own, no one will be able to top how bad these movies are.
ryderup

I turned this off after 15minutes. Maybe this is the inspiration for the THOR look
Richard

i never watched the movie but just by looking at some clips online i can tell that the movie blows goats. it will be the same with the sequel unless they remove the Wayne brother what's his face.
http://www.galaxykid.blogspot.com Johnny Neat

The first one was pretty looking SHIT. And I mean SHIT. Everything about screams fuck you fans.
http://twitter.com/gimmesumsuga Mathieu

I'm not sure whether 'hack' is the right term for Sommers. I'm not sure what the right term is, but at least he has a recognisable style, however shit it might be, which is not something you can say for Ratner, Wiseman or McG who just mimic other filmmakers. Also, none of them has made a film that's as much fun as Deep Rising, so he's got that going for him.
harrison

a sequel? why?
Brian

First @ #20 I will direct you to - INCEPTION. Second - I didn't think it was the directors fault; it was the script. Some of the scenes were shot pretty well, but the writers are the ones that F'd it up!
antioch

RECAST DUKE and Ripcord and it might pass.... and please spend a little more on the CGI... it was embarrassing
Luis M

GI Joe 2: We promise that this time, ice won't sink!
Solo Calrissian

I'm not lie, I liked it. Although I wasn't expecting Inception, Platoon, Bourne or even Rambo. C'mon, this guy did the Mummy Movies!!.... and I am anything but Sommers apologist will say the movie wasn't much different from how I played with them as a kid on rainy Saturday afternoon. IMO, Just have fun with it and it was better to me than Iron man 2 or most anything else this summer..
Clover

I agree with Solo.....We came in with low expectations because of Sommers, but we ended up likeing it for what it was. ( And the Baroness of course). A sequel ....fair enough, but I would not mind another director.
Chase

Count me in, I enjoyed the first film, but will admit it wasnt the greatest, it was mindless fun like several of you have noted. The funny thing about the first film was it was being called one of the best films of last summer, talk about how bad the movies are getting....
antioch

I disagree with 36 & 37 ~ The problem in GIJoe wasn't the direction, it was the dialogue and the wooden actors. If it was only the over-the-top action, I would have been into it, but the acting and characterization (except with snake eyes & storm shadow) was absolutely terrible.
Solo Calrissian

...and lemmie just say as well that as fans (fanboys & gals), when you know the source material better than ANY director not younger than our generation (Gen X and on...) , its gonna be VERY difficult to pull off an accurate interpretation of what we feel would be a 9 outta 10- type movie. Some people might want canon from the cartoon represented, some might be strictly comics, etc and there's really no way to please everybody... That said, given that its an over-the-top over interpretation with stiff acting and bad characterization, all we really can do is have fun with it. (My only legit gripe was the viper outfits being bulky & not sleeker.) Come to think of it, I honestly don't think I would not have liked a gritty, Hamburger Hill, Rambo 4-style GI Joe (unless Nolan did it )... just me. Sienna Miller made the top of my Laminated list after that Movie tho.
Ken MARKER

I agree Ryguy, the second will flop because the general consensus even among nonfans of the original comics was that the film was a joke. I'm basing this on my own group of friends and family who saw it: none had a kind word for it. If its profit margin is too low, which I think it will be, the franchise is done. Thank God for it when that day comes. Audiences can forgive one stupid film, but give them two and they’ll be bitter. Look at the general backlash to Trannies 2, people forgave the ‘Splosion based fun of the first, but derided the second for not doing more than that, like actually having a plot. http://twitter.com/camilger
Ferninsa

the music sucked and so did the screen play. good story line though on how this rivalery got started, so a squl should hae more action and better music score and screen play.