Bradley Cooper is joining the G.I. Joe franchise, with the Oscar-nominated actor set to take on the role of Duke in Paramount Pictures’ upcoming movie based on the Hasbro property. The project is expected to bring the military action franchise back to theaters with a new interpretation of one of its most recognizable characters.
Duke is one of the central figures in the G.I. Joe universe and is traditionally portrayed as a leader within the elite G.I. Joe team. Cooper’s casting places the actor at the center of the new film, although Paramount has not yet revealed how the character will be presented in this version of the franchise.
Danny McBride is attached to direct the untitled movie and has co-written the screenplay alongside Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri. The involvement of McBride marks a new creative direction for the property, particularly as the filmmakers work to establish a fresh story around characters that have appeared across decades of G.I. Joe entertainment.
Story details are currently being kept under wraps, meaning it is not yet known what mission will bring the G.I. Joe team together or how the new movie will approach its conflict with Cobra. Paramount has also not announced the rest of the cast or revealed which other familiar characters will appear alongside Duke.
The role of Duke was previously played by Channing Tatum in the earlier live-action movies. Tatum portrayed the character in 2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and returned for 2013’s G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
Cooper’s casting therefore represents a new interpretation of a character audiences have already seen on the big screen. Rather than continuing the previous films with the same version of Duke, the upcoming project is expected to establish its own direction as Paramount looks to rebuild the franchise for another era.
The wider G.I. Joe universe includes a large collection of characters, with Duke traditionally serving alongside figures such as Snake Eyes and Roadblock. Their opponents include Cobra Commander, Baroness, Destro and Zartan, among other members of the Cobra organization.
Cobra has long served as the primary opposing force in the G.I. Joe universe, giving the franchise a built-in conflict between the specialized Joe team and a powerful organization seeking its own goals. How much of that mythology will be incorporated into the new film remains unknown.
The project is also part of Paramount’s broader interest in developing established entertainment properties. The studio has continued to look toward recognizable franchises as a way of building new theatrical releases, and G.I. Joe gives Paramount another established universe that can potentially support future stories.
Cooper’s involvement adds significant star power to the project. The actor has built a career across major dramas, comedies and franchise films, while also earning multiple Academy Award nominations as both an actor and filmmaker. His casting as Duke suggests the character will be an important part of the movie rather than simply appearing as one member of a large ensemble.
The film is being produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian and Hasbro Entertainment’s Zev Foreman. Their involvement brings together Paramount’s film operation with Hasbro’s entertainment division, which continues to oversee the broader G.I. Joe brand.
For Hasbro, the movie represents another opportunity to bring one of its most recognizable properties back into the spotlight. G.I. Joe has existed across toys, animated projects, comics and previous live-action films, giving the filmmakers an extensive collection of characters and stories to draw from.
The new movie could also help determine how Paramount approaches the franchise going forward. If the project develops into a new starting point for G.I. Joe on the big screen, it could create opportunities for additional films built around Duke, Snake Eyes, Roadblock and other members of the team.
At this stage, however, Paramount has not disclosed a release date or confirmed when production will begin. Details surrounding the plot, additional casting and the film’s connection to previous G.I. Joe movies are also still being kept confidential.
What is confirmed is that Bradley Cooper will step into the role of Duke, with Danny McBride directing from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri.
The upcoming movie will give Paramount and Hasbro a chance to introduce G.I. Joe to a new generation while revisiting one of the franchise’s most recognizable heroes. With Cooper leading the project, the next chapter of the military action property is now taking shape.
