A defendant of sexual abuse, screenwriter of the new 'G.I. Joe'

Paramount Pictures is working on a new G.I. Joe movie, a project aimed at revitalizing a franchise that has had variable performance at the box office and has received mixed to negative reviews in its previous installments. Despite the challenges, the studio is not giving up on this intellectual property, especially after the recent acquisition of Warner Bros. for 110 billion dollars.

Beware, it’s war!

Two screenwriters are involved in the development of this new film. One of them is Max Landis, who is at the center of controversy due to allegations of sexual and emotional abuse made by eight women in 2019. Following these allegations, Landis was fired from several projects and distanced himself from Hollywood, although he has maintained a YouTube channel and has directed unofficial films inspired by DC Comics characters. In 2021, Landis acknowledged some of the criticisms of his behavior in an essay published on Medium.

The other screenwriter, Danny McBride, is working on a separate script for the franchise. According to reports, there are conflicting versions about whether Paramount plans to merge both projects into one or if they will be developed as independent films. Lorenzo di Bonaventura will be the producer of these movies.

Historically, G.I. Joe deliveries have struggled to achieve both critical and financial success. The first movie in 2009 grossed $302 million, while its sequel in 2013 surpassed $375 million, but both were poorly received by critics. The latest attempt, Snake Eyes: The Origin, barely managed to make $40 million against an estimated budget of up to $110 million. Interest in the franchise could be rekindled with the announcement of a crossover between G.I. Joe and Transformers, which is expected to happen in the near future.