Bradley Cooper Is the New Duke in Paramount’s G.I. Joe Reboot Directed by Danny McBride

The G.I. Joe franchise is officially getting a new face for its next big-screen adventure — and Paramount has landed a major one.

Bradley Cooper is set to star as Duke, the iconic field commander of the G.I. Joe team, in Paramount’s upcoming live-action reboot. The film will be directed by Danny McBride, who is also writing the screenplay alongside Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri. The casting was first reported by Deadline and subsequently confirmed by Variety.

This new movie is being positioned as a fresh take on the Hasbro property rather than a continuation of the previous G.I. Joe films.

Bradley Cooper Takes Over as Duke

Cooper will portray Duke, one of the most recognizable characters in the G.I. Joe universe.

Also known as Conrad S. Hauser, Duke has traditionally served as a field leader of the Joe team and has been a central character across the franchise’s toys, comics and animated adaptations.

The role has previously been played in live action by Channing Tatum, who portrayed Duke in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

Cooper now becomes the latest actor to bring the character to the big screen.

According to Deadline, McBride had a personal wish list for the movie’s cast, with Cooper reportedly at the top. Cooper eventually entered negotiations after reading the script and meeting with McBride.

Danny McBride Is Taking G.I. Joe in a New Direction

Perhaps just as interesting as Cooper’s casting is the filmmaker behind the project.

Danny McBride is directing the new G.I. Joe movie, marking a major move into blockbuster filmmaking for the writer, actor and filmmaker.

McBride is best known for projects including The Righteous Gemstones and Vice Principals, but his connection to Cooper goes back further. Cooper previously appeared in The Righteous Gemstones, giving the pair an existing professional relationship.

McBride is writing the new movie with Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri.

Despite McBride’s comedy background, the filmmaker has previously stressed that this new G.I. Joe isn’t being developed as a comedy.

Instead, the movie is intended to be a grounded reimagining of the franchise.

The Story Will Take Duke and the Joes to Springfield

While Paramount is keeping much of the plot under wraps, McBride has previously revealed one important detail about the setting.

The story will reportedly follow Duke and a group of Joes in Springfield, a fictional town from the G.I. Joe mythology.

There’s a major problem with Springfield, however.

The town is secretly controlled by Cobra, the long-running enemy organization of the G.I. Joe team.

That setup could give the new film a very different flavor from the previous movies, placing the characters in a location where the threat is already embedded within the community rather than simply sending the Joes from one giant action sequence to another.

A Fresh Start for the Franchise

Paramount’s new movie is being described as a full reimagining of G.I. Joe.

That means audiences shouldn’t necessarily expect it to follow directly from the previous G.I. Joe movies starring Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson.

The new film is instead being built around the franchise’s core mythology, including Duke, the Joes and Cobra.

That gives McBride and the studio room to establish their own version of the world.

The Transformers Connection Is No Longer Happening

There’s another major development attached to this reboot.

The previously discussed G.I. Joe/Transformers crossover is no longer moving forward in connection with this project.

Paramount had previously teased the possibility of bringing the two Hasbro properties together, particularly following the post-credits scene in 2023’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

The new G.I. Joe movie is now being developed separately from the Transformers franchise. Variety reports that the two properties have effectively been “uncoupled.”

That means the new movie gets to establish its own identity without having to immediately connect itself to another cinematic universe.

Who Else Is in the Cast?

For now, Bradley Cooper is the major confirmed casting announcement.

Paramount has not yet revealed the full ensemble cast or announced which actors will play other major G.I. Joe characters.

That leaves plenty of unanswered questions.

Will characters such as Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Roadblock or other members of the Joe team appear?

What will Cobra look like?

And, most importantly, who will portray the franchise’s most recognizable villains?

Those details remain under wraps.

No Release Date Yet

Paramount has not announced a release date for the new G.I. Joe movie.

The project is still in development, with further casting and production information expected as the movie progresses.

The studio is producing the film through Hasbro Entertainment, with Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian and Zev Foreman attached as producers.

Why This G.I. Joe Reboot Is Different

The combination of Bradley Cooper and Danny McBride makes this reboot particularly intriguing from a production standpoint.

Cooper brings experience from action-heavy films such as American Sniper and has also taken on major roles as a writer, director and producer.

McBride, meanwhile, is approaching the material from a very different creative background.

Yet the movie isn’t being positioned as a comedy.

Instead, McBride has described a version of G.I. Joe that is more grounded while still embracing the franchise’s action roots.

That could make Springfield and Cobra particularly important to the story.

Rather than immediately attempting to build another interconnected blockbuster universe, the film appears to be concentrating on Duke and the Joe team first.

Geeksterr Take

The biggest change here isn’t simply replacing one actor with another.

Paramount appears to be resetting the G.I. Joe movie universe altogether.

With Bradley Cooper stepping into the role of Duke and Danny McBride directing, the franchise is moving into a new era that is separate from the previously planned Transformers crossover.

The Springfield setting also gives the reboot an opportunity to explore the G.I. Joe mythology on a more focused scale before expanding its world.

For now, the biggest mystery is what the rest of McBride’s version of the Joe team will look like.

Bradley Cooper is Duke. Danny McBride is behind the camera. Cobra is waiting in Springfield.

The next chapter of G.I. Joe has officially begun.