[Sgt. Slaughter: I pity the fool who takes steroids]Written by GL
Paramount Pictures has confirmed that Stephen Sommers (director of Van Helsing and The Mummy movie series) will direct a live-action G.I. Joe film, based on Hasbro's line of action figures. The studio has also hired Stuart Beattie (writer of Collateral and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) to write the new script for the show.
[Stephen Sommers: to also direct the Prince Of Persia adaptation]Production is planned to start in February next year, and a release is planned for summer 2009.
The production schedule (which is considered really quick for any normal movie) began right after Sommers pitched his version of the film to Paramount board members on Wednesday evening. Rumors say he was hired in the room, right then and there. Is this an indication how good the movie will be? Who knows.
The Hasbro-G.I Joe franchise during the 1980s as well as the animated TV series will give the movie a lot of space. There are about 30 core characters, good and evil, that can be used in films.
