Snake Eyes is a full-blown reboot of the G.I. Joe franchise and not simply a prequel film, according to its lead star Henry Golding.
Originally titled Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, the movie had a fall 2020 theater date. However, Paramount pushed back its release for 2021 amid the closure of movie houses due to COVID-19.
Snake Eyes will center on the beginnings of the ninja commando, who became a popular member of the G.I. Joes. In a recent interview, Golding confirmed that the movie is a reboot.
“They’ve recreated G.I. Joe into something very cool and a far throw from what we’ve seen thus far on the big screen,” Golding said, adding that he sees the potential for many spinoffs. “This, I think, will be the launch of a brand-new franchise.”
Hating work in the beginning
Golding shared that their work on the set, prior to the lockdowns, was packed with hours and hours of training. The star said that this is more of a martial arts movie than a superhero film.
The actor admitted feeling all sorts of body pain while working on Snake Eyes. He confessed that he hated his work at the start of production because he could not squat when he needed to use the bathroom.
“The first week was literal hell,” Golding shared. “I think I cried on the phone to my manager. I was like: ‘I don’t know what I’m doing!’
Quiet development
Paramount and Hasbro quietly developed the new G.I. Joe film with the writers of Seberg after two failed live-action adaptations in 2009 and 2013. According to Den of Geek, the new film can be likened to the backdoor deal for Bumblebee, the Transformers spinoff.
Ray Park, who played Darth Maul in the Star Wars franchise, was originally cast as Snake Eyes, but Golding took over the role. Andrew Koji joined as Storm Shadow, who took over for Lee Byung-hun. Also in the movie are Iko Uwais, Ursula Corbero, and Samara Weaving.
Reports stated that if the solo film highlighting the character of Snake Eyes receives a better box office outcome, then Paramount and Hasbro are keen to develop more. As Golding said, the door will open to more follow-ups.
Right now, however, the studios are focused on getting the film released in theaters, when it is safe for the public to watch. Paramount and Hasbro have yet to announce the new release date for Snake Eyes.
Image courtesy of William Tung from USA / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)