Jon M. Chuhas made a name for himself with acclaimed films likeCrazy Rich Asiansand In the Heights and now is at the helm of one of 2024’s most anticipated movies,Wicked. Yet before all that, he began his directing career with movies likeStep Up 2: The Streets,Jem and the Holograms, and notablyG.I. Joe: Retaliation. TheG.I. Joefranchise has had a rough road since the 2013 film as the prequel/spin-off/rebootSnake Eyes: G.I. Joe Originsbombed at the box office in 2021, and now it looks like Hasbro and Paramount will try to relaunch the franchise by pairing them with the Transformers.Former
Comic Bookasked Chu if he would be open to directing anotherG.I Joefilm.Chu noted that he is currently busy withWickedand its follow-up,Wicked - Part Two,which opens in theaters in November 2025, so his schedule is locked down for now. He does not entirely shut the door on possibly returning and even shouted out hisCrazy Rich Asianleading man, Henry Golding, who went on to play Snake Eyes in the franchise. Chu said:
“I’m in Wicked world right now. I mean I love the GI Joe World, Snake Eyes, all those people. Henry Golding, I loved his version of Snake Eyes,” Cho said. “Um, you never know. You never know, but right now I still got movie two to go to and I um, my Joe is Fiyero [Jonathan Bailey’s character in Wicked].”
Chu seems like the best fit for the franchise’s upcoming G.I. Joe and Transformers crossover film, giving his history with the G.I. Joe franchise.However, the director is in high demand right now, and Paramount Pictures might be unable to wait.Wicked - Part IIalready wrapped filmingand is in post-production, but it would likely occupy much of Chu’s schedule before its 2025 release date, which means that he wouldn’t be able to fully commit to the upcoming G.I. Joe film until late 2025 at the earliest.
What The Future Holds for G.I. Joe
Since 2007, there have been eight theatrical movies based on Transformers against three for G.I. Joe. DespiteG.I. Joe: The Rise of CobraandG.I. Joe: Retaliationbeing box office hits, they never entirely captured the zeitgeist the way Transformers did, and Paramount Pictures could not get momentum on sequels going.Even as theTransformersmovies have seen a continued box office downtrend, they still outperform theG.I. Joefilms.Transformers: Rise of the Beastsoutgrossed bothThe Rise of CobraandRetaliationat the domestic and worldwide box office.Transformers One, seen as a big disappointment, outgrossed the domestic run ofSnake Eyesin one week. Merging the two brands together finally on film seems like a great way to give both franchises a much-needed boost.
This $40 Million Action Box Office Bomb Is Finding a Second Life on Netflix
Crazy Rich Asians alum Henry Golding starred as the fierce titular ninja and fighter in Angel Eyes, which sadly proved to be a box-office stinker.
Paramount Pictures would undoubtedly be lucky to secure Chu for their upcomingG.I. Joe/Transformerscrossover film. While the director leaves the door open, it feels doubtful he will return to the franchise anytime soon.Work on the crossover film is underway, as the writer of all threeJurassic Worldfilms, Derek Connolly, will pen the script.No release date is set, but fans are hoping for a 2026 arrival, three years after the release ofTransformers: Rise of the Beasts. However, that is only an estimation.With Chris Hemsworth reportedly the film’s star, the search is on to see who will take on the challenge of merging these two iconic franchises successfully.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
