Stephen Sommers Directing G.I. Joe Sequel
Tue, August 3, 2010 
If you remember those stories from last year of Stephen Sommers being fired from G.I. Joe, locked out of the editing room and eventually brought back to finish it, this can be categorized as a surprise.
The Wrap reports Sommers will helm the G.I. Joe sequel for Paramount and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. No word on when production might get going, but previous remarks from di Bonaventura stated we’d get a follow-up by Summer 2012. So a start-date around a year from now sounds logical.
I'd like to think I'm above giving into nostalgia. I did grow up watching the cartoons on the USA Network, but everything leading up to the movie's release looked terrible. But damn if Sommers' flick wasn’t enjoyable. It was the animated series brought to life – loud, over-the-top and just plain stupid. But it embraced its inner retard (unlike the Transformers franchise) and most of us had kind words walking outta the screening room.
But, I wouldn't expect lightening to strike twice here. Even with Zombieland screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick writing. My hunch is what everyone found endearing about Rise of Cobra will be frowned up for the next one – especially if they go in the "More of the same" route.
The big question, of course, is will Joseph Gordon-Levitt be dragged kicking and screaming to return as Cobra Commander?
Reader Comments (1)
Lightning, not lightening.
Also, how did they score JGL for the first one? Did he sign before he stock went up? I don't think he is too good for Joe or anything but he signed on for a background character.