Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is Go… Joe! The long-gestating spin-off film from the nascent franchise has finally started filming in Japan, and Paramount sent over some photos to prove it. See, they’re really doing it this time. The cast even received a traditional blessing at Hie-Jinja Shrine in Tokyo for some reason that is totally not just a photo op.
Paramount and Hasbro believe they can have a massive hit franchise with the G.I. Joe films, though their titling here is a probably unintended reminder of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a movie so bad it killed off multiple other planned origin stories. The two companies have been trying to get this movie off the ground, and kick off a series of films, for a while since the character, a favorite from the cartoon series, broke out again in G.I. Joe: Retaliation all the way back in 2013.
The lead role for the film, a super ninja assassin going by the codename Snake Eyes, will be played by Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding. In the first two films, Ray Park played the character but never took his mask off. Given Park’s race and age, he obviously can’t tackle the role anymore. Joining Golding in the film are Andrew Koji, Samara Weaving, Úrsula Corberó, Haruka Abe, Iko Uwais, and Takehiro Hira. The movie is directed by Robert Schwentke.
There aren’t many details on the film’s plot out there right now, but it’s sure to include ninjas and probably a training montage.
Snake Eyes will release on October 16, 2020.