Marlon Wayans has signed on to play Ripcord, leader of the military unit in Paramount’s big screen G.I. Joe. adaptation, says Variety.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in negotiations to join the tentpole pic, which is based on the American soldier action figure created by Hasbro.
The war-themed story is set 10 years in the future. Stuart Beattie wrote the screenplay, while Paul Lovett & David Elliot and Skip Woods contributed earlier drafts.
The Stephen Sommers-directed film is set to start shooting next month in Los Angeles. Rachel Nichols, Sienna Miller, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Said Taghmaoui have already joined the cast.
Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who produced the Hasbro-based hit Transformers, is producing G.I. Joe. alongside the toy giant’s Brian Goldner.
Paramount will release the film on Aug. 7, 2009.
