When we were little kids, each of us shared that one common dream: shrinking down to the size of your action figures, jumping onto a playset, and joining He-Man, Han Solo, and all the rest in their adventures. On Monday, the dream actually came true, as I found myself standing in the middle of the massive “G.I. Joe” soundstage in Downey, CA.
What you’re looking at below is the first official photo of Channing Tatum, who plays Duke in the 2009 release. It’ll give you an idea of what I was looking at as I toured the G.I. Joe submarine, the Docking Bay, Destro’s MARS headquarters, an ice glacier set that looked like it belonged on the planet Hoth, the evil doctor’s lab, and The Pit itself. Also, be sure to take note of that scar on Tatum’s right cheek – its origin is a major plot point in the film.
In addition to the high-stepping heartthrob, I interviewed Sienna Miller (The Baroness), Ray Park (Snake Eyes) and super-producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who’s such a cool guy he even drove us around in his own personal golf cart while enduring geeky questions about Tomax and Xamot. Unfortunately, the cart wasn’t dressed up to look like a H.I.S.S. tank.
After you fully absorb Channing’s blue steel gaze, be sure to head on over to a few MTV-approved sites run by our good friends and colleagues, who also have first-look images at key “G.I. Joe” characters:
- Latino Review has Storm Shadow
Keep your eyes on MTV, folks, as we’ll be filing our full “G.I. Joe” set visit sometime soon. For now, weigh in below and let us know what you think of Duke and the other Joe characters!
May 7th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I’m feeling most of the characters, but what is the deal with Christopher Eccleston as Destro? Destro is supposed to look like a tough guy, and has a silver mask covering his identity! The choice of actor to play Destro lacks the tough guy air and is too recognisable for the producers to want to cover his face for the majority of the movie. That sucks!
May 7th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Alright, Micheal Bay did a great job on Transformers. He only made tiny changes like adding flames. But, Stephen Summers has totally changed there costumes. It is like getting rid of the skull for the Dolph Lundren Punisher movie that nobody saw.
THIS IS BLASMPHEMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Iron-Man costume is obviously unrealistic with that bright red color. They even acknowledged it in the film but, Robert Downey blew it off with one simple line. Marvel Studios was smart in sticking with the costume.
The people making GI Joe had better have the characters in similar costumes. The film has not finished be made yet. But, if they don’t than they are going to alienate there fan base.
May 7th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I can’t believe how many people base their entire opinions of a film that isn’t even remotely ready for release on a couple of promo photos. Bay made massive changes to Transformers, Prime was the only one remotely like his original counterpart! Destro will wear a mask. It’s who he is. That doesn’t mean he’s going to be wearing the mask all the $~@*##% time!
Get a grip people! They changed the suits in X-men and that worked out fine.
May 7th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I’m will be interested to see how Doctor Who plays Destro. I am not worried about the lack of a mask. He didn’t always wear it in the comic. As far as his “tough guy” feel, that was a cartoon thing I never exactly got from the comic. I think of Destro as an extra smart, highly manipulative, aristocratic arms dealer that is ALL business and honor.
I consider myself the “fan base”, and the uniforms don’t bother me. Remember, these are just one set of uniforms many of these people will wear. We’ve already seen Hawk in two different outfits. Night ops require dark outfits. These may be default outfits, but we know they aren’t their only outfits. However I certainly don’t expect to see Scarlett in her ugly toy Pajamas. Somethings NEED changed!
May 8th, 2008 at 1:25 am
YO!!! MAKERS OF GI-JOE … YOU ARE QUICKLY LOSING FANS AND AUDIENCES AROUND THE WORLD!!! STOP RELEASING THESE EARLY PHOTOS OF THESE CHARACTERS WHO REMIND US OF NOTHING FROM THE COMICS OR CARTOON SERIES!!! “BARONESS” IS THE ONLY ONE THAT LOOKS ACCURATE. STOP THE LEAKS–NOW!!!
May 8th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Yeah, staying true to the source material sure didn’t work out for Ironman.
Go ahead, change everything so that it barely resmbles what it’s supposed to be.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Skywarp
Christopher Ecclestone played the bad guy in “Gone In 60 seconds” with Nic Cage, and I don’t think he was bad in that, so I personally only really think that Dennis Quaid / Chris Ecclestone and Ray Parks will do the Movie justice, as Duke Looks like c^^p (C’mon peeps, He’s the “STEP UP” GUY!!!) AND Marlon Wayans??? I just DO NOT see him in a serious/action movie role.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Abandon hope all ye who enter here.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Geeks suck and critize everything if the studios want your weak ass opinion they’ll beat it outta you…..your ideals of how the movie should be is mute and irrelevant if the world cared bout you guys negative ass comments we would’ve asked….last time i check the studios did not come to you when they were lookin for a director…….so you fools go to hell and get some booty cuz these movie is gon be hot just like transformers…..
May 8th, 2008 at 11:06 am
People, people…
The military simply wouldn’t allow soldiers to run around in whatever they damn well pleased, ala the Joe cartoon and comics. Uniforms exist for a reason.
Plus, these black suits come into play later in the movie. I’m sure we’ll get to see Duke in his regulation khakis at some point. And yes, Destro will eventually wear the mask.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:25 am
I thought Duke was an older blonde white guy
May 8th, 2008 at 11:25 am
HOw come everybody in this movie looks %?$~~? I can’t these dudes serious in those crazy get ups. Coudn’t they have just base the outfits off of real life military uniforms instead of dreaming up such crazy crap? Duke looks *@@%$ made by the way.
May 8th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
The more and more images I see of this movie, the more I cringe. Good looking people, absolutely. But not the right ones. Snake Eyes has been the only one to excite me. I know it’s supposed to be a live action of a cartoon. But that was one bad ass cartoon and it looks like they’s making a chick ass film.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Wow so basically even if the characters would look stupid as *#*# you still want them in their original costumes, thats what you are saying. You want a realistic movie about soldiers, but have them all running around in different brightly colored outfits fighting in “realistic” combat. If you want that watch the ??%#?@* cartoon. Iron Man worked for the simple reason of great acting a superb special effects. His suit’s color had alot to do with the film because if Iron Man is not Red and Gold he’s ??%#?@* WAR MACHINE. If Hawk isn’t in his normal outfit he’s still Hawk dumb shits. God I hate you ??%#?@* little bastards that critique everything the studio does. Why don’t you give them at least 6 more months (since the movie doesn’t come out for like 15) to finish what they got before you start crucifying everyone and hanging yourselves
May 8th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
B.E. makes a good point, and realistically, the Joes wouldn’t run around in street clothes. But that’s what makes them great! The clothes give them more personality! A bit more depth of character. Now they’re just a bunch of X-clones that look safe from electrocution.
The suits could at least have been green.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I just grew a boner.
May 8th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
This movie looks terrible. I am 25 and had almost every G.I. Joe growing up including the Base and all the Tigerforce vehicles. From the director of “Van Helsing” and “The Mummy” marginally good movies at best, although Brendan Fraser was good. He attempts to make a movie that will alienate all the original fan base, with the poor costume designs; they all look the same black pleather jumpsuits, to the poor casting. Channing Tatum is literally the worst actor in film ever, he makes Casper Van Dien look like Marlon Brando. What happened to the colorful outfits and other characters that I actualy remember playing with, Shipwreck,Sgt. Slaughter,Tropical Sgt. Slaughter and Cobra Commander.You could tell them apart once!
May 8th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
i’m rick james b.i.t.c.h.!!!!
May 8th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Man put in older characters where they are needed. Duke was not in his twenty’s. Plus no Roadblock! No way!
May 9th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Yes apologists, based on promo pics this movie WILL be an abonimation. Let’s see… Ripcord instead of Stalker? Destro in no disguise? Heavy Duty instead of Roadblock? Snake Eyes has a rubber mouth? Stormshadow carries a gun? Hawk is wearing communist-esque emblems? “GIJOE” printed in the camo? Fake guns?
What idiots approved this nonsense?!
Want to see a real GI Joe movie? Watch the first half hour of Transformes or the first half of Predator.
The end.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
EASE UP!!!
You guys are flipping out over the studio not sticking blindly and religiously to the cartoon. I loved it too, and have seen every episode, but you know what….the cartoon didn’t make alot of sense in some ways. Why would this “team” wear outfits representing dozens of different types ofarmed forces and fighting diciplines? Quick kick was barefoot with no shirt on no ,atter where they fought.If each character is dressed in their cartoon costumes when recruited for GI Joe, then given their new uniforms…why not? That’s much more feasable.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
….UMMMM.
BATMAN, anyone?
But Robert Pattinson is smoking HOT!
(oh, sorry , not a TWILIGHT blog is it?)
Okay, Channing Tatum is hot!
May 10th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
….UUMMM.
Batman, anyone?!?
But Robert Pattinson is Smokin’ Hot!!!!
(Oh, sorry…not a TWILIGHT blog, is it?)
Okay…Channing Tatum is Hot!!!!
And looks like he might be the new Robin to Christian Bales’ BATMAN