Bradley Cooper will star as Duke in the upcoming G.I. Joe movie, directed by Danny McBride.
McBride has been developing a new G.I. Joe movie for Paramount for some time, and it appears to be gaining some steam. After months of rumors, Deadline reports that Bradley Cooper will star as Duke, the leader of the titular group. McBride has reportedly had Cooper at the top of his wishlist for the film’s cast, but there were questions over whether or not it was feasible. Cooper is currently starring in and directing an Ocean’s 11 prequel in Europe, so he’s got his hands full. However, Deadline claims that Cooper liked the script so much that he signed on and committed to the film.
As of right now, it’s unclear when the film will shoot, but presumably it won’t be sometime until next summer at the earliest. Cooper’s Ocean’s prequel is slated to hit theaters in June 2027, and he will likely oversee post-production and go on an extensive press tour, which would likely prevent him from leading an action-heavy film until he fulfills his prior obligations. Nevertheless, it’s a big win and solid star power for McBride’s film.
Details are scarce, but McBride has stated that the film will take place in Springfield, a town that is secretly populated by members of Cobra. He also confirmed that the film will be a suspenseful action movie, rather than a comedy, which is where McBride’s roots mainly lie. He has proven himself capable outside of comedy, however. McBride co-wrote the recent trilogy of Halloween films, and while divisive by the end of their run, those movies showed McBride doesn’t lean on unnecessary humor to get through a script.
McBride will co-write the G.I. Joe film with Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri. As of right now, we’re not sure who else will end up in the film’s cast, but if Cooper is leading, it certainly shows that there’s a level of prestige backing the project. The last attempt at a series of G.I. Joe films featured the likes of Channing Tatum and The Rock, but were critically panned. Cooper has elevated himself to a higher caliber in recent years after directing and starring in Oscar-nominated films like A Star Is Born, so it’ll be interesting to see who else he gets paired with.
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Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
