Skip to main content
Games Radar Newsarama Total Film Edge Retro Gamer SFX
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The smarter take on movies
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Key art for Gears of War.
Action Movies Deadpool 2 and The Fall Guy producers are writing their live-action Gears of War movie for Netflix right now with Dune scribe: "We're really excited about it"
Transformers
Action Movies Hope you like Transformers, because a new report says there are 5 films on the way, including a new Michael Bay movie and the G.I. Joe crossover, but no Transformers One sequel
Sam & Twitch: Case Files #1
Image Comics Todd McFarlane is close to signing "A-list" director for Spawn movie
Denis Villeneuve at a screening of Dune
James Bond Movies It's official: the next James Bond movie will be directed by Dune helmer Denis Villeneuve, who says 007 is "sacred territory" for him
Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man with his back to the camera
Amazon Prime Video Masters of the Universe's He-Man Nicholas Galitzine strikes the hero pose in all-new first look
Weapons
Horror Movies "I probably shouldn't even say that": Weapons director teases surprise cast members in his new horror movie, which has "more twists and turns than Barbarian"
Dave Bautista in In the Lost Lands
Action Movies Dave Bautista could be headed to the Road House in Guy Ritchie's sequel
Dirk in Dragon's Lair
Fantasy Movies Dragon's Lair finally gets a director alongside Deadpool and Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds – five years after it was first announced
Daniel Craig in Skyfall standing next to a car.
James Bond Movies The reported shortlist for the next James Bond director has me excited and terrified about the future of 007
James Gunn
DC Movies James Gunn confirms what his behind-the-scenes role is at DC Studios, and it doesn't involve taking meetings about popcorn buckets: "My job here is truly as a creative force"
Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us season 2 episode 6
Horror Movies Weapons director had "a whole different cast" for the horror movie before the Hollywood strikes but Pedro Pascal's scheduling conflicts "threw them into turmoil": "I had to recast the entire movie"
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne during The Batman
DC Movies Weapons director Zach Cregger says his rumored DC movie is "getting blown out of proportion online": "It's not a Joker and Harley Quinn script"
David Corenswet as Superman
DC Movies DC boss James Gunn says audiences won't be confused by all the new characters in Superman: "Oppenheimer has three times as many speaking roles as we do"
Thunderbolts poster renamed as New Avengers
Marvel Movies Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier denies he's attached to Marvel's X-Men reboot, but Black Panther Ryan Coogler says otherwise, and Marvel may have confirmed it
Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray on the set of Star Wars: Starfighter
Star Wars Movies Deadpool and Wolverine director's Star Wars movie Starfighter shares first look and confirms new casting, including Amy Adams and a Lanterns star
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

23 Movie Directors For GI Joe 2

Features
By Simon Kinnear published 11 January 2011

Helmers to handle the Real American Heroes

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Ridley & Tony Scott

Ridley & Tony Scott

The Plot: Sick of COBRA, the G.I. Joe Team launch an all-out attack on the villains' base, a blizzard of shock and awe so frenetic it needs two Scotts to fully convey.

Key Characters: Shipwreck and Payload, the commanders of the sea and air assault teams, respectively.

Stand-Out Scene: The planes attack... in Tony's trademarked tech-porn of slo-mo and steel light.

Starring: Russell Crowe as Shipwreck; Denzel Washington as Payload.

Page 1 of 23
Page 1 of 23
David Fincher

David Fincher

The Plot: Realising that new business Extensive Enterprises is a front for COBRA's terrorist operations, the Joes must fight a psychological war in the boardroom.

Key Characters: COBRA's identical "Crimson Twins," Tomax and Xamot - apparently successful businessman, but really commanders of COBRA's fearsome Crimson Guard.

Stand-Out Scene: An argument between the twins descends into a bloody, bare-knuckle scrap.

Starring: Arnie Hammer as Tomax; Arnie Hammer as Xamot

Page 2 of 23
Page 2 of 23
Sam Raimi

Sam Raimi

The Plot: While attempting to raid a COBRA base, the Team falls victim to COBRA's latest weapon: a soundwave generator that induces hallucinations of demented monsters.

Key Character: Breaker, the communications officer whose headphones protect him from the madness.

Stand-Out Scene: A monster dives into a soldier's ear...and the camera follows it in.

Starring: Bruce Campbell, replacing Saïd Taghmaoui as Breaker.

Page 3 of 23
Page 3 of 23
The Coen Brothers

The Coen Brothers

The Plot: The Joes discovers that one of its foot-soldiers is a mathematical whizz who can help them destroy COBRA's technology. Unfortunately, he's also a headcase.

Key Character: Volatile genius Short-Fuze.

Stand-Out Scene: Short-Fuze illustrates how his mathematical formula works by repeatedly punches a screaming fat man in the face.

Starring: Josh Brolin.

Page 4 of 23
Page 4 of 23
Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese

The Plot: The G.I. Joe Team discovers that one of its number is a COBRA spy. Meanwhile, Joe's own undercover agent, Chuckles, struggles with guilt over the death of his wife.

Key Character: Chuckles, somewhat ironically named here because his extrovert appearance hides inner turmoil.

Stand-Out Scene: Chuckles - in character as a villain - laughs manically while killing one of his closest friends, until he hears his wife's favourite song playing on the jukebox and breaks down in tears.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio as Chuckles

Page 5 of 23
Page 5 of 23
Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Bigelow

The Plot: A squadron of Joes is stranded in COBRA-controlled territory and must fight their way out of the jungle to survive.

Key Characters: Jungle trooper Recondo and tracker Spirit, the only men who can lead the team to safety.

Stand-Out Scene: Sweaty palms time as Spirit accidentally leads the squadron into a minefield.

Starring: Jeremy Renner as Recondo; Kean Reeves as Spirit

Page 6 of 23
Page 6 of 23
Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg

The Plot: The G.I. Joe Team thaw out a frozen WWII soldier, experimented on by the Nazis, who now possesses unusual strength to help them fight COBRA.

Key Character: Sgt Savage, who has to adapt to the modern world while trying to cope with the fact that his father has died while he was in hibernation.

Stand-Out Scene: Shown an iPod for the first time, Savage's inital fear melts into childlike awe when he sees the light beaming from its screen.

Starring: Shia LaBeouf as Sgt Savage.

Page 7 of 23
Page 7 of 23
Edgar Wright

Edgar Wright

The Plot: A rom-com with a difference, as two G.I. Joe soldiers find they're falling in love while they're kicking terrorist ass.

Key Characters: Covert ops specialist Lady Jaye and rugged warrant officer Flint.

Stand-Out Scene: Lady Jaye and Flint's first date turns into a restaurant-trashing dust-up when they can't agree who will pay the bill.

Starring: Anna Kendrick as Lady Jaye; Brandon Routh as Flint

Page 8 of 23
Page 8 of 23
Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan

The Plot: When COBRA explodes a reality bomb, the G.I. Joe team is dispersed into a number of alt-realities. Their only salvation lies in the hands of a turncoat COBRA fighter.

Key Character: Storm Shadow, the COBRA ninja who has an attack of conscience and has to fight through the different realities to rescue the Joe team.

Stand-Out Scene: Bale fights COBRA in a forest world where everything is upside-down .

Starring: Christian Bale as Storm Shadow, replacing Byung Hun-Lee.

Page 9 of 23
Page 9 of 23
Robert Zemeckis

Robert Zemeckis

The Plot: COBRA's latest super-weapon transforms the G.I. Joe Team into toys.

Key Characters: Only the core characters, but mo-capped to resemble their original 1980s action figures.

Stand-Out Scene: In the heat of battle, Duke can't quite get his gun to fit into his plastic hand.

Starring: Jim Carrey as everyone.

Page 10 of 23
Page 10 of 23
David Cronenberg

David Cronenberg

The Plot: COBRA creates a new leader by mixing D.N.A. from history's most vicious leaders. Inevitably, it goes a bit wrong.

Key Character: Serpentor, a schizoid mutant whose genetic ancestry makes him more mental than even COBRA intended.

Stand-Out Scene: A psychological and physical meltdown sees Serpentor spewing vile Nazi rhetoric while his mouth transforms into forked tongue and fangs.

Starring: Viggo Mortensen

Page 11 of 23
Page 11 of 23
Christopher Morris

Christopher Morris

The Plot: With the U.S. public sick of the Joes' destructive ways, it's time to wins back their hearts and minds and hires a P.R. guru.

Key Character: Scoop - journalist, publicist and expert phone hacker.

Stand-Out Scene: Scoop reveals his latest publicity campaign: "don't fuck with us 'cause we know where you live."

Starring: Paddy Considine

Page 12 of 23
Page 12 of 23
Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino

The Plot: Complete reboot, as the new G.I. Joe Extreme commandos take on the threat of SKAR (Soldiers of Khaos, Anarchy and Ruin) in a cinematic bloodbath.

Key Characters: Field commander Lieutenant Stone versus SKAR tyrant Iron Klaw.

Stand-Out Scene: While their armies wage war, Stone and Iron Klaw discuss the relative merits of John Woo and Sam Peckinpah.

Starring: Brad Pitt as Stone; John Travolta as Iron Klaw.

Page 13 of 23
Page 13 of 23
Lars Von Trier

Lars Von Trier

The Plot: In an austere Arctic base, a trio of G.I. Joe operatives go insane trying to justify U.S. militarism. Self-mutilation and talking polar bears are soon to follow.

Key Characters: Winter warriors Snow-Job, Avalanche and Frostbite.

Stand-Out Scene: Snow-Job sticks his dick into the ice for 24 hours and then snaps it off.

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Paul Bettany, Björk.

Page 14 of 23
Page 14 of 23
M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan

The Plot: When mysterious events incapitate the G.I. Joe Team, they assume it to be COBRA's work...but, in an unexpected twist, it turns out they are toys being controlled by a sadistic manchild.

Key Character: Communications Officer Dial Tone, who figures out what's going on.

Stand-Out Scene: Dial Tone realises the truth when the new recruit still has a price tag on his chest.

Starring: Haley Joel Osment as Dial Tone; M. Night Shyamalan as the Toymaster.

Page 15 of 23
Page 15 of 23
James Cameron

James Cameron

The Plot: A new recruit faces the wrath of the Team's sadistic drill sergeant, before being thrown into a global battle - in 3D.

Key Characters: Grunt, the everyman soldier, and taskmaster Sgt Slaughter.

Stand-Out Scene: Grunt aims a rocket launcher at a helicopter and fires. Rocket, fire and shrapnel all burst out of the screen - in 3D.

Starring: Sam Worthington as Grunt; Bill Paxton as Sgt Slaughter

Page 16 of 23
Page 16 of 23
Oliver Stone

Oliver Stone

The Plot: The G.I. Joe Team is shocked to discover that COBRA's latest military commander is a mercenary with links to the U.S. Government.

Key Character: Amoral one-eyed Major Bludd, who will kill anyone for the right price.

Stand-Out Scene: The closing half-hour monologue, in which Bludd justifies his actions via a potted history of the military-industrial complex.

Starring: Michael Douglas as Major Bludd

Page 17 of 23
Page 17 of 23
Adam McKay

Adam McKay

The Plot: A comedic spin, in which the Team's hapless driver inadvertently saves America from extinction.

Key Characters: Clutch, the sexist driver who would rather make a pass at the ladies than fight terrorists.

Stand-Out Scene: The "drive-off" with a rival aide de camp, in which Clutch uses imported pegasus blood to ensure he wins.

Starring: Will Ferrell as Clutch.

Page 18 of 23
Page 18 of 23
Francis Ford Coppola

Francis Ford Coppola

The Plot: While General Hawk wrestles with unleashing an attack that will wipe out COBRa but cause millions of civilian deaths, flashbacks fill in the details of his formative experiences running black ops for the Reagan administration.

Key Character: This one's very much Hawk's show.

Stand-Out Scene: Hawk earns his wings by assassinating a Central America dictator in a toilet.

Starring: Alden Ehrenreich as the young Hawk; Dennis Quaid (of course) as the older Hawk.

Page 19 of 23
Page 19 of 23
Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderbergh

The Plot: Experimental drama set entirely in a forest where a G.I. Joe sniper awaits further orders

Key Character: Crosshair, a man who is only happy when he has something to shoot in his sights.

Stand-Out Scene: The blue-filtered flashback to Clooney's pre-assassin life, if only because it's the only bit where something happens.

Starring: George Clooney.

Page 20 of 23
Page 20 of 23
Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson

The Plot: "Sometimes, being a super-soldier is a real drag. Why can't General Hawk, like, just leave me alone?"

Key Character: Deep-Six, the Team's socially awkward deep sea diver and pilot of flying submarine S.H.A.R.C.

Stand-Out Scene: Duke's Epiphany, set to the strains of The Kinks 'Sunny Afternoon,' as he realises he's beginning to like Deep-Six's habit of taking afternoon tea underwater.

Starring: Jason Schwartzman as Deep-Six.

Page 21 of 23
Page 21 of 23
Robert Rodriguez

Robert Rodriguez

The Plot: Blaxploitation flavoured actioner in which G.I. Joe's latest recruitment drive turns a gourmet chef into a killing machine.

Key Character: Roadblock - part chef, part machine gunner, all man.

Stand-Out Scene: Roadblock kills half a dozen COBRA agents... with a wok.

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson.

Page 22 of 23
Page 22 of 23
George Lucas

George Lucas

The Plot: Duke turns to the Dark Side and kills all of the G.I. Joe Team. 20 years later, his long-lost son defeats him with the help of some CGI dog-creatures or some shit like that.

Key Character: L'il Duke, who grows up under COBRA's reign of terror unaware that the perp is actually his pa.

Stand-Out Scene: Having run out of bullets, L'il Duke wraps a towel around the barrel, sets fire to it and wields it like a sabre.

Starring: Haydn Christiansen as L'il Duke.

Page 23 of 23
Page 23 of 23
Simon Kinnear
See more Movies Features
Read more
Key art for Gears of War.
Deadpool 2 and The Fall Guy producers are writing their live-action Gears of War movie for Netflix right now with Dune scribe: "We're really excited about it"
Transformers
Hope you like Transformers, because a new report says there are 5 films on the way, including a new Michael Bay movie and the G.I. Joe crossover, but no Transformers One sequel
Sam & Twitch: Case Files #1
Todd McFarlane is close to signing "A-list" director for Spawn movie
Denis Villeneuve at a screening of Dune
It's official: the next James Bond movie will be directed by Dune helmer Denis Villeneuve, who says 007 is "sacred territory" for him
Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man with his back to the camera
Masters of the Universe's He-Man Nicholas Galitzine strikes the hero pose in all-new first look
Weapons
"I probably shouldn't even say that": Weapons director teases surprise cast members in his new horror movie, which has "more twists and turns than Barbarian"
Latest in Movies
David Corenswet as Superman
James Gunn says DC's Superman title sequence won't change from movie to movie, with one exception: "He's our MGM Lion"
A demon in The Conjuring: Last Rites
The Conjuring: Last Rites director was a paranormal skeptic until he had the "spookiest experience" while filming the new horror movie: "I am totally a believer after it"
Tom Holland as Peter Parker sitting in his during during Spider-Man: No Way Home
Christopher Nolan, you've done it again: Tom Holland describes The Odyssey's script as the "best" he's ever read
The Penguin finale
The Batman 2 star Colin Farrell says the script for Matt Reeves' sequel is "extraordinary", but confirms the Penguin only has a small role: "I haven't got much to do on it"
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne during The Batman
Weapons director Zach Cregger says his rumored DC movie is "getting blown out of proportion online": "It's not a Joker and Harley Quinn script"
Ralph Fiennes in 28 Years Later
First trailer for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple makes the horror sequel look even more violent and bonkers than its predecessor
Latest in Features
A white gaming PC with negative pressure in RGB lighting
What is negative pressure in a gaming PC? Positive vs Negative pressure explained
I'm playing The Outer Worlds for the first time because my friend told me it was better than Fallout, and now I'm hyped for the sequel to push it even further
Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams
Wednesday season 3 release date speculation, cast, plot, and more news
Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams
Wednesday season 2 part 2 ending explained: Who is Slurp, who dies, and how does it set up season 3?
Key art for Octopath Traveler 0 shows a character looking out at a town, surrounded by trees.
Octopath Traveler 1 and 2 are two of my favorite turn-based RPGs, but I'm not sure how I'm going to go back to them after falling in love with Octopath Traveler 0's town-building mode
Photo by Rosalie Newcombe of the Aiba Pop-up Parade figure by Good Smile Company with the AI The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative Collector's Edition box in the background.
The hideous Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater statue is why I have rules for collectors' editions
  1. Cronos: The New Dawn key art featuring a mysterious building in the background and traveller in foreground
    1
    Cronos: The New Dawn review: "An unabashed mash-up of survival horror greatest hits, from Dead Space to Silent Hill, with plenty of its own gory ideas"
  2. 2
    This gorgeously weird monster board game warms my Halloween-loving heart, and it's a delight
  3. 3
    Lost Soul Aside review: "We (don't) have Final Fantasy Versus 13 at home"
  4. 4
    Hell is Us review: "The lack of waypoints and explicit objectives is a double-edged magical sword that pulls me deep into its harsh world"
  5. 5
    Shuten Order review: "The Danganronpa creator's new multi-genre mystery feels like a forgotten DS cult classic I would have been obsessed with"
  1. Vera Farmiga as 'Lorraine' in The Conjuring: Last Rites
    1
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  2. 2
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  3. 3
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  4. 4
    Frankenstein review: "A classy, if somewhat safe, adaptation"
  5. 5
    Weapons review: "A twisted fairytale that bests Barbarian"
  1. Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Luis Guzman as Gomez Addams, and Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams in Wednesday season 2 part 2
    1
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  2. 2
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  3. 3
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"
  4. 4
    Alien: Earth review: "Arguably the franchise's strongest outing since James Cameron's Aliens"
  5. 5
    King of the Hill season 14 review: "Hank Hill himself has evolved into a much more open and accepting person"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...