GI Joe lurches towards live-action filmdom (i.e. G.I. Joe live action)

[Vermillion21]

Still won't forgive them for making of my favourtie characters say "lalalalalalalala" over and over again though.

Those are the BEST lines in the entire GI Joe animated movie ....

:P

[lord_breetai]

So someone mentioned Action Force... I wonder how aware the Action Force fan community in Britain is of the comic's creative origins... like in Action Force, Cobra was the second set of enemies created after the Red Shadows were destroyed (betrayed by their own leader who then became the Cobra Commander).

So are there any brits who are going to be screaming, "rapped childhood"? Or are they all pretty much aware of the series origins?

[Max Jenius]

Stormshadow looks like some sort of surgeon.

[Awacs]

So are there any brits who are going to be screaming, "rapped childhood"? Or are they all pretty much aware of the series origins?

Probably not in all honesty. We aren't particularly inclined to that sort of thing by national character. (Sort of like when British Transformers fans saw the early 2007 movie pictures, in my experience we just sort of shrugged and said "oh, flames, odd"). I would have been surprised to see any of the "Action Force" backstory in a movie based on "Gi Joe". Two subtly different but genetically related franchises.

Actually, I'm rather looking forward to "Gi Joe", it shows all the potential to be an entertainingly terrible film.

Karl

[Vermillion21]

Stormshadow looks like some sort of surgeon.

I agree with your observation.

[azrael]

Set photos:

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/05/16/ch...filming-gi-joe/

What's with the exosuits/armor?

[baronv]

I still don't understand why Snake Eyes needs a mouth outline on hist mask. Would've looked nicer being streamlined like Storm Shadow's at least.

[JsARCLIGHT]

When you think about it, comic book / cartoon Snake Eyes pretty much wears a form fitting black unitard with a balaclava... both fabric. Seeing his mouth was "believable" because his mask was more or less a soft form-fitting fabric... but when hollywood gets ahold of something like that it instantly becomes rubberized batman plastic. Because fabric isn't "cool looking" enough and the actors aren't nearly "buff" enough to get the muscular look wearing simple fabric.

Hence movie Snake Eyes looks like Batman, sans bat ears. Except he has molded lips and Batman had molded nipples.

[Golden Arms]

The more I see, the less I like about this upcoming film. Do we really need all of futuristic armor crap?? One of the things I really liked about Gi Joe was that there was an air of real world tech,gear and uniforms. Which the producers have decided to ignore from what we've seen so far.

[Gaijin]

The more I see, the less I like about this upcoming film. Do we really need all of futuristic armor crap?? One of the things I really liked about Gi Joe was that there was an air of real world tech,gear and uniforms. Which the producers have decided to ignore from what we've seen so far.

You'll see it anyways.

[lord_breetai]

The more I see, the less I like about this upcoming film. Do we really need all of futuristic armor crap?? One of the things I really liked about Gi Joe was that there was an air of real world tech,gear and uniforms. Which the producers have decided to ignore from what we've seen so far.

Well since the US military has powered armour in development though and GI Joe always did have scifi elements (unmanned SNAKE robots, composite clones etc) I don't really see a problem.

[Golden Arms]

You'll see it anyways.

Yep, and I'll probably be at the midnite showing. But until then, I'll have to entertain myself by complaing how much its gonna suck.

Edited May 17, 2008 by Golden Arms

[CoryHolmes]

Yep, and I'll probably be at the midnite showing. But until then, I'll have to entertain myself by complaing how much its gonna suck.

You, sir, have just proven yourself a true fan

[MilSpex]

Well since the US military has powered armour in development though and GI Joe always did have scifi elements (unmanned SNAKE robots, composite clones etc) I don't really see a problem.

Battleforce 2000 and other futuristic designs were always unpopular with fans. Thats why Larry Hama killed them off in the comic book by having them drive through an oil refinery just as it was shelled by Cobra leading to char broiled consequences...

Anyone know if Larry Hama has anything to do with the film project? That would be great if he did.

Edited May 17, 2008 by MilSpex

[lord_breetai]

Battleforce 2000 and other futuristic designs were always unpopular with fans. Thats why Larry Hama killed them off in the comic book by having them drive through an oil refinery just as it was shelled by Cobra leading to char broiled consequences...

Anyone know if Larry Hama has anything to do with the film project? That would be great if he did.

Apparently he's a consultant or something, he was the one who sent the first snake-eyes pics to AICN.

And some of the futuristic elements were unpopular, I never remember anyone complaining about the BATS, and there was still sometimes a futuristic edge to the story itself.

And while Serpentor may have split the fanbase back in his day, he still had a lot of fans.

Remember the comics also featured ninja mindtricks (ah the ever versatile Arashikage Mindset), ninja death trances and so on... So it was never strictly, totally believable. and a slight futuristic edge is okay.

Again since the US military is developing powered armour and GI Joe is supposed to be a super elite unit that gets everything first, I don't have a huge problem with them having a compacted version, hopefully it's not too far out there.

And remember the most recent cartoon had the "sigma suits", and I'm thinking these won't be as over the top as those.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Anyone know if Larry Hama has anything to do with the film project? That would be great if he did.

He does, but he is under NDA, so he can't answer anything pertaining to the movie nor new comic license. Thats the main reason most of the HissTank q's could not get answers(most were pertaining to the movie).

[lord_breetai]

He does, but he is under NDA, so he can't answer anything pertaining to the movie nor new comic license. Thats the main reason most of the HissTank q's could not get answers(most were pertaining to the movie).

New Comic licenses does that mean that Devils Due is loosing it for sure? It'd be a shame cause I liked most of there run (though I kinda phased out reading America's Elite after the Red Ninja Seitin story arc... I should get back to reading it.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

New Comic licenses does that mean that Devils Due is loosing it for sure? It'd be a shame cause I liked most of there run (though I kinda phased out reading America's Elite after the Red Ninja Seitin story arc... I should get back to reading it.

Signs leading to yes, and it is a reboot. Sei Tin's story arc sucked, the only good thing from Casey's run was Storm Shadow back on the joes, but even then, Jerwa had already written him back onto the team in M/A II. WWIII is a much better storyline than Sei Tin's.

[Vermillion21]

The more I see, the less I like about this upcoming film.

Ditto. But I'll still go see it ... only with lowered expectations.

[lord_breetai]

Signs leading to yes, and it is a reboot. Sei Tin's story arc sucked, the only good thing from Casey's run was Storm Shadow back on the joes, but even then, Jerwa had already written him back onto the team in M/A II. WWIII is a much better storyline than Sei Tin's.

So I heard, which is why I'm trying to track down back issues.

[MilSpex]

And remember the most recent cartoon had the "sigma suits", and I'm thinking these won't be as over the top as those.

Sigma doesn`t count for most fans.

Again since the US military is developing powered armour and GI Joe is supposed to be a super elite unit that gets everything first, I don't have a huge problem with them having a compacted version, hopefully it's not too far out there.

The real US military is the real US military and GI Joe to most fans is an `80s comic book and cartoon. They should stay true to what us fans remember. Its shouldn`t be a documentary on a real US special forces team of the near future.

I don`t like the dropping of "A Real American Hero" either. Panders to globalisation, UN loving hippies. Wouldn`t be surpised if in the movie GI Joe deliver aid and use solar powered vehicles..

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

So I heard, which is why I'm trying to track down back issues.

Even the Baroness arc by Powers right after the Sei Tin story was far superior to Casey's run on America's Elite. It also leads into WWIII. Powers manages to write an interesting story that isn't chock full of ninjas, no Snake Eyes as a deus ex machina(Firefly almost killed him), and isn't cliche(unlike Casey's stories, like when he turned Snake Eyes into an evil red clad ninja after returning from death, who really didn't see that coming?

This is just my theory, but I have a feeling at the end of the DDP WWIII storyline, Storm Shadow will bite it, but not before killing off Cobra Commander and Zartan, and Snake Eyes will be left the exact same way as he started with the joes; alone.

If Storm Shadow gets a white/silver powersuit in the movie he will have a sleek armored ninja look, which I think will be bad ass.

[lord_breetai]

Sigma doesn`t count for most fans.

The real US military is the real US military and GI Joe to most fans is an `80s comic book and cartoon. They should stay true to what us fans remember. Its shouldn`t be a documentary on a real US special forces team of the near future.

I don`t like the dropping of "A Real American Hero" either. Panders to globalisation, UN loving hippies. Wouldn`t be surpised if in the movie GI Joe deliver aid and use solar powered vehicles..

You know I've been a GI Joe fan almost my whole life... I'm a year younger then the RAH franchise but I still grew up with comics (including tons of back issues) and the cartoon via video rentals. I'm aware of what everything was like before, but it's an evolving franchise and to gain new fans it has to stay current it can't be exactly like it was in the 80s and early 90s... as fans we (yes myself as well) will gripe at every change but we'll still see it... it's the new fans that Hasbro is trying to hook. The same goes for Sigma 6, and I say Sigma 6 is heads and tails above Sgt. Savage and the Screaming Eagles, GI Joe extreme and the 3D cartoons and for that I praise it.

Even the Baroness arc by Powers right after the Sei Tin story was far superior to Casey's run on America's Elite. It also leads into WWIII. Powers manages to write an interesting story that isn't chock full of ninjas, no Snake Eyes as a deus ex machina(Firefly almost killed him), and isn't cliche(unlike Casey's stories, like when he turned Snake Eyes into an evil red clad ninja after returning from death, who really didn't see that coming?

This is just my theory, but I have a feeling at the end of the DDP WWIII storyline, Storm Shadow will bite it, but not before killing off Cobra Commander and Zartan, and Snake Eyes will be left the exact same way as he started with the joes; alone.

If Storm Shadow gets a white/silver powersuit in the movie he will have a sleek armored ninja look, which I think will be bad ass.

hmm... I can't remember exactly where I dropped out, actually I think the very last issue I read was the one that ended with a politician getting into a car with Cobra Commander. Really I'll look into getting those back issues.

[MilSpex]

You know I've been a GI Joe fan almost my whole life... I'm a year younger then the RAH franchise but I still grew up with comics (including tons of back issues) and the cartoon via video rentals. I'm aware of what everything was like before, but it's an evolving franchise and to gain new fans it has to stay current it can't be exactly like it was in the 80s and early 90s... as fans we (yes myself as well) will gripe at every change but we'll still see it... it's the new fans that Hasbro is trying to hook. The same goes for Sigma 6, and I say Sigma 6 is heads and tails above Sgt. Savage and the Screaming Eagles, GI Joe extreme and the 3D cartoons and for that I praise it.

Lucas did exactly the same thing with Episodes I-III. He tried to get new younger fans and ended up alienating the original fans and not really making any new ones as far as I know.

What you`re saying makes decent business sense but it won`t mean a good movie for original fans.

[lord_breetai]

Lucas did exactly the same thing with Episodes I-III. He tried to get new younger fans and ended up alienating the original fans and not really making any new ones as far as I know.

What you`re saying makes decent business sense but it won`t mean a good movie for original fans.

Yes, but Lucas is a hack and what's more he knows it. He's good at coming up with wonderful ideas and even the prequels weren't bad at the idea level. He needs someone else to execute them though, otherwise they fall on their face. (yes there are some notable exceptions like the first three SW films).

Lucas himself said it on the blue harvest interview, "when I come up with an idea for a movie I want to see made, worst case scenario I make it myself, best case scenario I get Stephen Spielberg to make it"

I remember when the first prequal movie was coming out I read the novelization for the movie before it came out, I preordered my ticket as soon as they sold them (which was like a month in advance or something) and was using it as a bookmark as I read the book, I LOVED the novelization and was looking foward to the movie, I clutched the book as I entered the theater prepared to be blown away. In the end I didn't end up even seen ROTS in theaters (though it wasn't too bad).

The difference here is, this is not going to affect the cannon of my GI JOE. This is an alternate telling, like GI Joe Reloaded, it's not a prequal or a sequal to the comics I grew up reading. My GI Joe will remain unchanged after I watch the film, just like in my transformers it's called a matrix, not an allspark and it wasn't destroyed...

As long as the film is entertaining, I'll be happy... if it introduces a microscopic organism that lives inside the Arashikage masters and allows them to use the mindset, then at least I'll know that it's not part of the continuity of the universe that I love.

Edited May 18, 2008 by lord_breetai

[Fit For Natalie]

I don`t like the dropping of "A Real American Hero" either. Panders to globalisation, UN loving hippies. Wouldn`t be surpised if in the movie GI Joe deliver aid and use solar powered vehicles..

They want the movie to be remotely successful outside of North America, so they had to make them some kind of international fighting force so that international audiences can get into it (rather than be potentially patronised with a 'America saves the world from themselves' type of film).

Really, GI Joe is an oddity in Hasbro's major toy franchises in that because of its subject matter and patriotic jingoism, it has been largely unsucessful outside of North America in recent times. That's not good business from a movie-making perspective, unfortunately.

Edited May 18, 2008 by Fit For Natalie

[lord_breetai]

They want the movie to be remotely successful outside of North America, so they had to make them some kind of international fighting force so that international audiences can get into it (rather than be potentially patronised with a 'America saves the world from themselves' type of film).

Really, GI Joe is an oddity in Hasbro's major toy franchises in that because of its subject matter and patriotic jingoism, it has been largely unsucessful outside of North America in recent times. That's not good business from a movie-making perspective, unfortunately.

Really I think I can say that not even Canadians appreciate it much, which is probably why I have to go to such painstaking lengths to get a hold of the 25th anniversary figures.

Anyway, I have to agree Natalie, as much as Glen Beck my call it an International Zero, to anyone outside the US it'll be seen as World Police without the humor. Honestly I myself am not American and even still I would prefer RAH, but that's not a marketable product.

It needs to be International and it needs to be modern, otherwise it will fail.

[VFTF1]

At the risk of stumbling into the dreaded "politics" which are not allowed (and I will try not to get into it in the post, but the subject matter kind of moves us there)...here's my take on it:

James Bond is British. James Bond does not hide the fact that he is British. James Bond is an internationally successful film franchise.

So why can't GI Joe - a real American Hero be equally successful?

It has nothing to do with not liking America - it's more a case of not liking patronizing, pathetic (in the sense of pathos) plot lines.

If James Bond was a goody two shoes Boy Scout with a British flag tatooed on his forehead who never suffered, never had to make a hard decision, never found himself at odds with the British government, never met a foriegner he could admire, never went to a different country, never killed any body or risked death himself -- well - you get the picture.

What turns international audiences off to RAH is the fact that it's pathetic, plot wise. It really does pander to a very base and simplistic view of the world and of war and this is why people don't like it.

If Hasbro/Paramount retain this basic plot premise - it doesn't matter how many Belgians they throw into GI Joe - international audiences will still hate it.

American movies about American heroes are internationally successful or at least do modestly well when done right.

Remember - if being an "American hero" is made synonymous with the general ideas of justice and goodness that all people pretty much agree on, then all people - American or not - will like the film.

If being an American hero means making Rambo look like a serious war movie at the level of Platoon - people will laugh.

Even if half the American Heroes are French

VFTF1

[MilSpex]

Anyway, I have to agree Natalie, as much as Glen Beck my call it an International Zero, to anyone outside the US it'll be seen as World Police without the humor.

At the risk of talking politics thats not true.

I`m Australian and think America is a noble country with noble intentions. Most Australians think the same.

While I got into the toys while living in America it was huge in Australia in the `80s and `90s aswell. The toys with the packaging that said "RAH" on them were big in South America and Asia too. The only place they changed it was over-sensitive England.

I think you will also find that outside of France and Germany, America is much more popular than the image in the media.

To me taking out RAH is patronising to the audience.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

If Hasbro/Paramount retain this basic plot premise - it doesn't matter how many Belgians they throw into GI Joe - international audiences will still hate it.

The Belgian angle is out, anything Fox news reported on the movie months back to last summer was false. The most notable people to trust with regards to the movie are El Miyambe from Latino Review, and DESTRO from HissTank. I've heard a ton of stuff from everyone else, but those 2 guys seem to be the only reliable ones.

What turns international audiences off to RAH is the fact that it's pathetic, plot wise.

If you are talking about the cartoon, yes, but the comic? No.

Even if half the American Heroes are French smile.gif

The only one rumored to be French is Snake Eyes. Whether true or not, I could care less, he was caucasian in the comics but it was never explicitly stated where his ancestors were from. In other words, no one really knew wtf he was.

[lord_breetai]

So why can't GI Joe - a real American Hero be equally successful?

It has nothing to do with not liking America - it's more a case of not liking patronizing, pathetic (in the sense of pathos) plot lines.

If James Bond was a goody two shoes Boy Scout with a British flag tatooed on his forehead who never suffered, never had to make a hard decision, never found himself at odds with the British government, never met a foriegner he could admire, never went to a different country, never killed any body or risked death himself -- well - you get the picture.

What turns international audiences off to RAH is the fact that it's pathetic, plot wise. It really does pander to a very base and simplistic view of the world and of war and this is why people don't like it.

That doesn't even describe Captain America let alone the Larry Hama GI Joe RAH comics. There's pleanty of times where the Joes have found themselves at odds with the government, at least internally, they soldiers and they have to follow orders even when they hate those orders, grumble about them or when the orders potentially throw their lives away for no good reason.

In the Devil's Due comic, General Hawk was blackmailing most of the Jugglers so he could get in on the organization and so they would allow the GI Joe team to reform and stay open (not exactly a boyscout, hey).

But still, an American team "saving the world" is still going to put off a lot of Europeans...

[JsARCLIGHT]

I might be older than some of the rest of you but I'm old enough to remember the "GI Joe Adventure Team". Back when the original 12" GI Joe line came out America got sort of "involved" in Vietnam, and parents no longer wanted to buy their kids war toys... so gung-ho American soldier GI Joe vanished and his bearded loudmouth "adventurer" friends took over. When the gas crunch of the '70s hit and Hasbro canceled the line there wasn't a soldier among them.

The "GI Joe" that everyone here "remembers" was the revival of the toy line from the '80s, which was pretty much done so Hasbro could cash in on the bigtime 3" figure craze that Star Wars kicked off. Fueled by a rampaging Reaganite pro-America entertainment industry featuring the American soldier as the big hero, GI Joe was a prime product of the decade... but as the '80s wained so did the American public's (and international public) enjoyment of the dudley do-right American soldier hero. Which brings us to today... the big strapping American soldier as a hero is kind of tainted now. Just as the original GI Joe was "poisoned" by Vietnam, the new GI Joe is kind of poisoned by modern America's "adventures" abroad.

So if you look at this new GI Joe as a sort of "GI Joe Adventure Team" for the 2K's then it doesn't "hurt" as much. I personally love the Hama Comics of the '80s but even I can admit the '80s are long gone as are the themes they stood for. If anything I kind of hope this "iffy" movie will birth new interest in the OLD '80s comics so we can get some high quality bound issue reprints again.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

This movie takes place in the future, before 2020 if I am not mistaken. What I am afraid of, is if the movie becomes too over the top, which it sounds like after Dennis Quaid's interviews.

[Golden Arms]

This movie takes place in the future, before 2020 if I am not mistaken. What I am afraid of, is if the movie becomes too over the top, which it sounds like after Dennis Quaid's interviews.

That has been one of my principal fears as well. That the film would be outlandish, and beyond believability. I also fear that it will be the typical Stupid summer action flick.

I wish that the production team would look at the Bourne series as a sorta model on how to make this film appeal aboard and in how to conduct the action and build suspense.

Tears of the Sun was another film that I think they could use as inspiration to make the american hero appeal aboard. I think all people would respond favorably to situations where the hero is acting in a humanitarian role. Helping those that can't fend for themselves or able to circumvent the red tape or lack of responsibilty that we see with organizations such as the UN.

[lord_breetai]

You know what? No you can't tell me that fans hated every scifi element of the comic, yeah most of the space-man looking guys made the "Larry Hates Me" list and died quick deaths... but come on one of the most popular characters who was used quite often was Zartan, the guy who was a genetically engineered shape shifter/master of personal holograms who could assume any form at will... that was scifi in the 80s, it's still scifi today...

yes the movie can go too far with futuristic stuff... but a little bit isn't going to be out of place, as long as the characters and story are good, then I don't care if they've got sigma suits or whatever.