Hollywood heavyweight Bradley Cooper is officially heading to the battlefield. The 12-time Oscar nominee has been tapped to star as the iconic field commander Duke in Paramount Pictures’ upcoming reboot of the G.I. Joe franchise. While plot details and the rest of the ensemble cast remain under wraps, the studio has promised that this project will offer a fresh, reimagined take on the legendary Hasbro toy line.
Behind the camera, the film marks a major pivot for Danny McBride. Known primarily for his sharp comedic work on shows like The Righteous Gemstones and Vice Principals, McBride is making his feature film directorial debut here. He has also penned the screenplay alongside frequent collaborators Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri. The project is being backed by heavy hitters including producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian, and Zev Foreman for Hasbro Entertainment.
In a significant creative shift, Paramount has confirmed that this new G.I. Joe iteration is officially “uncoupled” from the Transformers universe. This move puts to rest the crossover speculation that had been building since the tease at the end of 2023’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. For Cooper, this adds yet another massive project to his slate; the actor is currently busy directing and starring in an Ocean’s 11 prequel alongside Margot Robbie and Monica Barbaro.
This reboot is part of a broader, ambitious push by Paramount Pictures to revitalize its intellectual property library. Studio co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg are currently overseeing an expansive production schedule that includes a Tom Cruise-led sequel to Days of Thunder, a new World War Z film, a fresh Star Trek project, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, and a high-profile Call of Duty adaptation.