Paramount is pushing its new G.I. Joe plan in a very specific direction.
After Deadline confirmed two separate G.I. Joe movies in early development, our sources tell us that Paramount wants these projects to feel like a throwback, an “80s style action film” that stays true to the spirit of the animated series.
“80s Style Action,” True To The Animated Series
Here’s what my source told me: “Yeah, that project’s gonna be cool. Paramount wants a throwback, 80s style action film, true to the spirit of the animated series. Still talking to directors.”
The Original G.I. Joe Cartoon Tone: Patriotic, Heroic, 80s Action
The 1980s G.I. Joe animated series played as unapologetically pro-American and patriotic, with the Joes framed as clear-cut heroes protecting the country from Cobra’s chaos, “a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.”
The vibe was classic Saturday-morning 80s action—bold characters, simple good-versus-evil stakes, and a clean, kid-friendly sense of heroism that always circled back to doing the right thing.
Paramount Is Still Talking To Directors
The key detail is that Paramount is still in director talks, which suggests the tone is being locked in first.
If they’re chasing a throwback vibe, the director choice matters as much as the script.
This also hints that Paramount wants a clean, crowd-friendly lane for G.I. Joe instead of another sideways reinvention.
How This Fits The Bigger Paramount Strategy
This lines up with what we already reported about the Ellisons leaning into recognizable IP and old-school heroic storytelling.
A G.I. Joe movie that plays like an 80s action throwback isn’t subtle.
It’s Paramount signaling what kind of franchise movies it wants to make, and what kind of audience it’s trying to pull back into theaters.
It was previously reported that Danny McBride is in talks to write a treatment for one of the G.I. Joe movies, while Max Landis already has one in place. Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing the projects.
