Posted on 11/08/2007 8:00:17 PM PST by DesScorp
Hasbro has released to following message to fans regarding Paramount Pictures' live-action G.I. Joe adaptation:
Hasbro's G.I. Joe Team wanted to take this opportunity to clarify some of the facts regarding the G.I. Joe live-action movie that we are developing with Paramount Pictures.
First and foremost, we are not changing what the G.I. Joe brand is about. The name "G.I. Joe" will always be synonymous with bravery and heroism.
The G.I. Joe brand has enjoyed a successful 43-year history, spanning two key generations. The first was the line of 12-inch "realistic military" figures that were popular with kids in the 1960s and 1970s.
The second generation, was created in 1982, and is based on a cast of fictional heroes and villains that make up the "G.I. Joe vs. Cobra" fantasy. The premise of this fantasy is the story of the G.I. Joe team, led by Duke, and their "fight for freedom wherever there is trouble" against the evil Cobra Commander and his Cobra force. This storyline was an instant hit with kids in the early 1980s, spawning a highly popular 3-3/4-inch action figure line, comic book collection and animated series.
This movie will be a modern telling of the "G.I. Joe vs. Cobra" storyline and its compelling characters that Hasbro created 25 years ago. The G.I. Joe team will not be based in Brussels. Instead, they will be based out of the "Pit" as they were throughout the 1980s comic book series. And, in keeping with the G.I. Joe vs. Cobra fantasy, the movie will feature characters and locations from around the world. Duke, the lead character and head of the G.I. Joe team, will embody the values of bravery and heroism that the first generation of G.I. Joe figures established.
(Excerpt) Read more at comingsoon.net ...
First, they took the "real American hero" out of the slogan for the film. Next, GI Joe is not an American military unit anymore...it's an "international task force". GI Joe now stands for Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity. The initial script draft had the unit based in Brussels, Belgium, but under heavy criticism, they now say the unit will be based in NYC. The unit will still not be an actual American military unit....its still "international", a UN-type team. Hasbro's weasel-worded defense (which doesn't deny the non-US Military angle...its still about "heroism", gee thanks) of this tripe isn't satisfying the fans of the franchise, though.
But now a dual kiss of death has befallen the movie. One, the director is Stephen Sommers, who totally trashed the Universal monster franchise with Van Helsing.
Next, Duke, the crewcut sporting Colonel that leads GI Joe will be played by.....George Clooney.
And yes. Clooney plans to use the movie as a anti-war statement.
It’ll bomb. People aren’t going to theaters in great numbers anymore, and they have no reason to go and see this thinly disguised anti-American bash. Looney Clooney being in it certainly won’t bring fill the seats.
It’ll bomb. People aren’t going to theaters in great numbers anymore, and they have no reason to go and see this thinly disguised anti-American bash. Looney Clooney being in it certainly won’t fill the seats.
Hilarious. Of course their box office will be in the hundreds of dollars, and hopefully, Seth Green and company will eat their lunch in some grotesque Robot Chicken parody.
The best part is that they have outlawed the use of the Alan Smithee pseudonym, so unless they ditch the movie credits altogether, we’re going to get to see who is responsible for this abortion.
Haw haw. I bet their corporate parent companies are just going to love losing millions of dollars in production costs of this and the other anti-war movies and getting bupkis in return.
Yes, it will.
The name "Hasbro," however, will not.
The unreal thing about Clooney is how is it a guy that is little more than a drag on any movie he headlines (O11 doesn’t count since it’s a massive, ensemble, cast) ends up getting work film after film. I swear to God, Hollywood doesn’t make any sense at all...
And what about his girlfriend Barbie??
I assume that since the team will be based in New York, they will take advantage of New York’s gun laws. That is, they will not own any guns.
More info from where I first saw this story break: http://arkjournal.com/2007/10/gi-joe-real-american-hero.html
We should call the CEOs of Paramount (as listed in the link) and let them know that we are outraged by this ridiculous anti-American stunt.
So why are they trying to fix what ain’t broke?
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that it isn’t going to be anything like “Rainbow Six”.
Why not? The team is international and diverse, and already has video-game tie-ins.
I guess it’s just too violent. The bad guys die—frequently with more than one bullet in the head. That, and there’s no leftist/enivronmentalist/pacifist to lead them. The closest they have is Ding and Clark chastizing Homer for passing up the kill shot to make the terrorist go out in agony.
I'm trying real hard to come up with one of his movies that I like. Granted I love the soundtrack from Oh Brother, Where Art Thou, but that doesn't count. From Dusk Until Dawn was pretty good, but since I haven't seen it in years, I can't tell you whether I liked Clooney's character or not.
Oh I so can’t wait for this one....
No wonder Hollywood is sliding in to the toilet financially.
Nah, he was a bastage in that part (which means he really didn't have to act). Best part in that movie was the ex-preacher, I forget who played him...
the infowarrior
Thanks for the info. I saw the movie right after it came out and enjoyed it, but I haven’t seen it in probably 8 or 9 years.
I’ve been a fan of the ‘80s GIJoe since I was a kid, but it wouldn’t matter how faithful this adaptation was as long as Clooney’s involved. I wouldn’t see a damn thing he was in.
Why in the world would they even consider Clooney in this type of movie? They guy is such a pansy.
It will NOT bomb. It will be within +/-15% of the Transformers movie. My generation (X) grew up on GI JOE at its most popular (by far), and the only things greater than their appetite for disposable "now" pop culture are their ignorance and apathy.
They do not care about what is right, they will not boycott the movie unless everyone else is boycotting the movie, and the only way that can happen is if the boycott was media driven by someone (or "someones") with 'credibility'
The target market is a disloyal, selfish, flavor-of-the-month consumer base that will say "Ohmygosh!" "I remember GI JOE!" "I gotta go see that...it's gonna be awesome!" and not give a rat's ass about how the product has been perverted and polluted by liberal scum. It is now a liberal propganda piece, which is why Clooney dropped one movie to star in this one. He is FAR more NEFARIOUS than you average Freepers believe...
This is a very important statement. The original reports mentioned Brussels. If we take the reports at their word, Hasbro and Paramount gave in. "The Pit" WAS the HQ location of the comic book and cartoon, so nothing is different there.
GI Joe, from its SECOND issue in 1982, dealt with worldwide battles with COBRA. Issue number 2 featured The Russian version, "The Oktober Guard" and many of the COBRA characters are form other countries. Nothing has changed, and nothing is wrong with that.
Nit to pick: Duke (E-8) was not really the leader, it was Hawk, (rank O-8) but he was only sold with a limited production missile playset that was out of production by the carton's airing, so Duke got the face time. Above them is General Flagg, the link between The Pentagon and GI JOE.
Those minor issues aside, Clooney, for all the dumb things he has done and saidover the years, is stoopid like a FOX (or is it Paramount?) he knows this is a GREAT vehicle to deliver another one of his anti war messages, and pervert yet another American institution. Write to hasbro, write to Paramount, and DEMAND fan interaction from casting to plot. and keep on it.
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