Danny McBride’s G.I. Joe movie with Bradley Cooper finally has a release date — and it’s not a comedy

Here we go again, another G.I. Joe reboot is on the horizon—this time with Bradley Cooper taking the lead as Duke. Paramount have finally put an official date on it: mark your diaries for 20 October 2028. Plenty of time to dig your action figures out of the loft, if you’re that way inclined.

G.I. Joe returns to cinemas on 20 October 2028, starring Bradley Cooper as Duke.

Behind the Scenes: Unlikely Director, Familiar Producer

The real twist here is who’s running the show: Danny McBride. Yes, the same Danny McBride best known for causing chaos in Eastbound & Down and generally being the rudest man in comedy. If you’re expecting a p*ss-take, though, pump the brakes. This one’s apparently not for laughs. McBride is directing and co-writing, alongside Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri (both of whom have previous form with him on other projects).

Now, details on the plot are thin on the ground, but McBride has been clear that he’s not doing an ironic send-up or tongue-in-cheek riff. Asked about the tone, McBride said during a recent chat:

‘It grounds G.I. Joe. It’s not a comedy. It’s kind of suspense and action. Yeah, it’s going to be a lot of fun. Whole ensemble. You’re following Duke and the other Joes, and there’s that town, Springfield, which is secretly all Cobra. So, that is where our film takes place.’

He’s actually rather obsessed with all things G.I. Joe—by his own admission, probably more than is strictly healthy. Growing up, he was apparently more about the Joes than Star Wars, and still keeps his old collection. Fair enough, we all have our vices.

The producing team includes Lorenzo di Bonaventura (who’s been there for all the ups and downs of this franchise already), along with Mark Vahradian and Zev Foreman representing Hasbro. So, if nothing else, you know the toy angle will be covered.

Third Time’s the Charm?

Paramount keep trying to make G.I. Joe happen, don’t they? We’ve already had three cracks at it: The Rise of Cobra (2009), Retaliation (2013), and Snake Eyes (2021). None of them really caught fire, at least not in the way you’d want. There was even talk of crossing things over properly with Transformers after their sneaky cameo at the end of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. That big event film never made it out of development hell. Instead, they’re pressing reset again and letting McBride give it another go-round—this time, starting clean, with Duke back front and centre.

• Bradley Cooper as Duke leads the cast (others TBA)
• Danny McBride writing and directing
• Story centres on the town of Springfield, secretly run by Cobra
• Production duties: Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian, Zev Foreman (Hasbro)
• Release set for 20 October 2028

No word yet on which side characters will turn up, but now that they’ve pinned down the date, expect casting news—and the usual studio hype—to rev up soon enough.