In the online world it has become a bit a bit frenzied as every single site wants the “big scoop”. Every site wants to become the one that says, “See, we told you and now Variety confirms it.” Well, I never have to worry about that because in Seattle there aren’t many people running around with movie news. Hell, I have to tell local publicists, “Yes, I do review DVDs. Notice the DVD tab above.”
However, I think it is time for me to say that I sorta called the news (see right here) that Stuart Beattie should be hired on to write the script for G.I. Joe, and now, two weeks later, Variety announces that he is indeed aboard to write the script! Of course I also suggested Peter Berg direct and that Beattie pen the script with Michael Mann, but I can only get this damn crystal ball to work 33% of the time.
Of course I had no idea Beattie would be brought on, I was just trying to think who might actually bring a little grittiness to the sure-to-be watered down production now that Stephen Sommers is aboard to direct, and the Cobra Commader does not look like he is in the film and the Joe’s will in fact take on a Scottish arms dealer. Here is the storyline as provided by Variety:
Story is set at Brussels-based G.I.J.O.E., an acronym for the Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity, and revolves around an international co-ed force of operatives who use high-tech equipment to battle Cobra, an evil organization headed by a double-crossing Scottish arms dealer.
For the Joe fans out there you probably know that Destro hails from Scotland and from what I can remember of the cartoons he was sort of the Cobra Commander’s bitch, but this description paints a different picture. I am not exactly a Joe fanatic so I am clueless on most of the story, I just hope they don’t turn this into a kid flick and give us a little adult flair.
Pre-production is expected to begin in the fall, with the studio eyeing a February production start and a summer 2009 release.
