Looks like it is offial now:
Paramount Pictures has chosen Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and Step Up 3D director Jon M. Chu to take over the directorial responsibilities on the franchise sequel G.I. Joe 2.
Jon M. Chu beat out F. Gary Gray and Jaume Collet-Serra, who were all in contention for the job once Stephen Sommers, director of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, announced that he would not be back to helm this inevitable sequel.
It is highly likely that a number of the main cast will not be returning for G.I. Joe 2. Channing Tatum is expected to continue on as Duke, though Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who played villain Rex Lewis, and Sienna Miller, who played The Baroness, will probably not return. At this time, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's schedule is quite full, which will have him doing some impresses date juggling if he wishes to come back. As for The Baroness, it is looking like that character will definitely be recast, or split into multiple different characters.
We recently spoke with Jon M. Chu, who has an all-new Director's Fan Cut of the hit movie Justin Bieber: Never Say Never in theaters this weekend. He is quite excited about taking on G.I. Joe 2, and promises to bring the 'punch' back to this franchise.
"The one thing I felt was missing from the last Joe movie was the power of the punch. You want Joe to be tough. They are fun, but they are tough. I feel that you don't want to make Joe too kidsie. That is one of the issues they are having. But yeah, I would have so much fun. There are so many cool characters to play with."
Jon M. Chu also talked about his plans for the upcoming sequel.
"I have a bunch of stuff written down. I have done a bunch of drawings and things. We'll have to see where that goes. Joe, to me, is iconic. It is as American as Coke and the Boy Scouts. To have that kind of history in a brand is so rare these days. And that is so powerful. So you can't treat Joe like its just another action movie. You can't treat Joe as just another petty commercial movie. Joe has history. Joe has always been a part of what America is, and now the world. What it means to be a leader and a hero. For me, it is about the fun stuff like Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes, and all the gadgets. All of that stuff. But it has heart. Its heart is what America, and what heroes and leaders around the world, strive to be. I think that is what the brand needs. It needs the respect to be treated in that way."
