Smart call: Bradley Cooper pivots from Oscar ambitions to Ryan Gosling’s money-making Hollywood formula

Right, so Bradley Cooper is having a bit of a rethink about what being a Hollywood leading man means in 2026. After years trying his luck (and skill) at the Oscars, he's now shifting gears and doing what I'd call the Ryan Gosling manoeuvre: mixing those highbrow prestige pieces with out-and-out crowd-pleasers. His next project is a bit of a swerve, either genius or slightly mad, depending on your perspective – he's signed up for Paramount's new live-action G.I. Joe film. You read that right. He'll be trying on the khaki as Duke, the muscle-bound leader beloved by '80s cartoon fans, and it's being directed by none other than Danny McBride.

Cooper will take on the role of Duke, the iconic leader of G.I. Joe, in Paramount's upcoming live-action blockbuster directed by Danny McBride.

G.I. Joe feels like a left turn if you know much about Cooper's last decade. He probably wouldn't have gone near this sort of film in, say, 2014. In those days, he was all about the awards circuit: picking up endless nominations (twelve of them, including acting, producing, and writing), and earning a rep as one of the actual grown-ups in the industry. Sure, he lent his voice to Rocket Raccoon in Marvel's galaxy and even popped up in The Hangover Part III, but those blockbuster bits were clearly the anomalies, not the main event.

Moving Past Prestige

The trouble with entering the ‘serious filmmaker’ club is you risk getting typecast – not as a performer, but as a brand. You end up in a narrow lane, rolling the dice for that big award night, but not exactly shifting popcorn by the kilo. Enter Ryan Gosling's recent approach: after a run of indies, comedies and awards-hopeful dramas, he's completely overhauled his game since 2022. Gosling has gone for ‘blockbuster with brains’ with The Gray Man, Barbie, The Fall Guy, and soon, Project Hail Mary. Coming up he's got a Star Wars spinoff and even a stab at Ghost Rider. None of these are tiny, serious films – they're designed to draw an enormous crowd. The kicker? Gosling nabbed an Oscar nomination for Barbie anyway, and could be in the running for Project Hail Mary, too. If you pick the right popcorn juggernaut, critical acclaim isn't off the menu.

Cooper's Recent Moves

Cooper, possibly taking notes, has started to blend the formulas. Last year's Is This Thing On? saw him star, direct, and co-write in a much smaller comedy that had critics nodding along at his direction. Now, before G.I. Joe lands, there's another big swing: Cooper’s working on and starring in an Ocean’s Eleven prequel opposite Margot Robbie. Odd bit of trivia – Gosling was actually set to star before bailing out. Cooper stepped in and is also penning and directing the thing. That one’s firmly aiming for blockbuster status, chasing both critic and box-office glory, and coming straight for the summer tentpole slot.

G.I. Joe marks Cooper's first outing as the star of a pure action franchise film, capping his recent run of commercial pivots.

The upshot is, Cooper seems intent on restoring a bit of that star wattage that only comes with commercial hits. There’s an art to balancing Oscar-bait with hundred-million-dollar ticket sales, and as much as he’s been celebrated for his more serious endeavours, it does get a bit samey after a while. Personally, I’m pleased he’s embracing a broader range again — if only because his actual movie star charisma deserves a bigger audience than just the Academy.