G.I. Joe Sequel Going into Development

Published by Jeff Leins on: August 10th, 2009

G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra hit theaters this weekend and earned $54.7 million at the box office.  While it still has a ways to go to recoup its $175 million budget and reported $150 million in marketing costs, Paramount is confident enough to start thinking sequel.

Paramount Picture’s vice chairman, Rob Moore, confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that a sequel “will soon go into development.”  The actors are all contractually obligated to return for another installment, but director Stephen Sommers is not.  However, he returned for another Mummy movie, so odds are he’ll be back.  There was at least a two year turn around time on the original’s production, so don’t expect a sequel until summer 2011 at the earliest.

It will need to have legs this weekend against an amazing science fiction release, District 9.  An 18% drop from Friday to Saturday hints at a significant fall (60%+) next weekend, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, I’m still baffled by the legions of grown men vehemently defending the Hasbro properties this summer.  First Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and then G.I. Joe became battlegrounds for the typical “critics are irrelevant” nonsense and “you just don’t get it” cliches.  I might agree with the “it’s supposed to be fun” defense if it wasn’t shouted angrily or surrounded by a mean-spirited rant.  I guess without friends to high-five when it was over, a man-child unleashes his tirade on the opinions of others.  They’re out and they’re succesful, no need for the “Save the Toy Movies” crusade, guys.  Having said that, I’m sure I’ll just provoke more of the same.

For those of you who still can’t get enough Joe, here’s a Funny or Die video titled “The Ballad of G.I. Joe.”