Dear Lorenzo DiBonaventura...

[CobraCommander]

Please get as far away from GI Joe as possible. Thanks.

 

[Chaos Bringer]

these pretzels are making me thirsty.

 

[Timstuff]

Mm... Kielbasa...

 

[blind_fury]

Please get as far away from GI Joe as possible. Thanks.

co-signed

 

[Timstuff]

Paris Hilton is going back to jail!

 

[TheVileOne]

Just wondering, was there a new development on GI JOE the movie or something?

Or does this go back to the talk of taking out the references to America and making it like a crossover with Action Man?

 

[Timstuff]

The producers of Transformers struck a deal recently to make a GI Joe movie. So it's bad news if you can't stand what's happening with TF, but if you are looking forward to TF, then it's good news I think.

 

[CobraCommander]

He has proven time and time again that he doesn't understand what makes GI Joe "GI Joe." And that was before Transformers had begun production. Now, I'm sure many people are excited about that flick, but from what I can tell, many are upset about it as well.

If that follows suit with GI Joe, and based on all the poor revamps he's attempted already it likely will, I'm not liking the direction that DiBonaventura is going to head if Transformers is any indication.

 

[TheVileOne]

Just to say it, is GI JOE as we like it, could it actually be successful in today's world climate as a live action movie?

Even the new TMNT didn't do that great of a business and it was fairly faithful to the original material and wasn't as silly and slap-stick as the cartoon and the first two live action movies. And it was a CG animated flick, most of which make $100 million easy more often than not.

I mean I would love a GI JOE movie that's a lot like the Marvel and Devil's Due comic stories, but I'm really not sure how well it would go over.

 

[CobraCommander]

Just to say it, is GI JOE as we like it, could it actually be successful in today's world climate as a live action movie?

Even the new TMNT didn't do that great of a business and it was fairly faithful to the original material and wasn't as silly and slap-stick as the cartoon and the first two live action movies. And it was a CG animated flick, most of which make $100 million easy more often than not.

I mean I would love a GI JOE movie that's a lot like the Marvel and Devil's Due comic stories, but I'm really not sure how well it would go over.

Tell me what you mean exactly in terms of what is problematic about the Marvel/DDP material. I concede changes need to be made, but I'm just curious as to what exactly you mean.

 

[TheVileOne]

Tell me what you mean exactly in terms of what is problematic about the Marvel/DDP material. I concede changes need to be made, but I'm just curious as to what exactly you mean.

I guess what I mean is in this kind of very anti-American climate we live in right now where it seems everyone hates us, and international BO is such a big deal for the studios and everything if they could make GI JOE how we like it and have it be very successful.

And basically something closer to the Marvel/DDP comics is what I would like to see for a live action movie basically.

Ultimately I would probably prefer if the movie did not get made.

 

[CobraCommander]

I guess what I mean is in this kind of very anti-American climate we live in right now where it seems everyone hates us, and international BO is such a big deal for the studios and everything if they could make GI JOE how we like it and have it be very successful.

And basically something closer to the Marvel/DDP comics is what I would like to see for a live action movie basically.

Ultimately I would probably prefer if the movie did not get made.

I see what you mean, but I don't think that GI Joe needs to be overly patriotic per say. Yes they're an American military unit, but Cobra is not a nation that they're fighting. They're a homegrown underground terror network, with some international allies and supporters. But Cobra Commander himself is an American, and Cobra was largely made up of disenchanted Americans to start. Also, Cobra is a threat world-wide, not just to America.

So I think so long as the global Cobra threat is portrayed, GI Joe can be seen in a positive light internationally. But that message would have to be conveyed not just in the movie, but in all marketing as well. If they get into blatant flag-waving, then yeah, that would definitely be a problem.

 

[Timstuff]

If the American flag can be in the Spider-Man movies, it can be in G.I. Joe. I agree that they don't need to beat it over people's heads, but I want GI Joe to stay as "Real American Heroes." It would be a bad idea to present GI Joe as a flamboyant political statement, but it can still be pro-military. America may not be very popular internationally right now, but I would not use that as a reason to re-imagine GI Joe as something more politically correct.

In true GI Joe fashion, I think they need to stick with their guns and make the movie be faithful to the original. If they do it right they'll get a strong enough BO take in the US to make a healthy profit, and still have a decent take internationally. If they had to, they could always dub it over as "Action Force" for some countries, but I do not want to see the US version of GI Joe butchered just because we're a somewhat controversial country.

 

[CobraCommander]

If the American flag can be in the Spider-Man movies, it can be in G.I. Joe. I agree that they don't need to beat it over people's heads, but I want GI Joe to stay as "Real American Heroes." It would be a bad idea to present GI Joe as a flamboyant political statement, but it can still be pro-military. America may not be very popular internationally right now, but I would not use that as a reason to re-imagine GI Joe as something more politically correct.

In true GI Joe fashion, I think they need to stick with their guns and make the movie be faithful to the original. If they do it right they'll get a strong enough BO take in the US to make a healthy profit, and still have a decent take internationally. If they had to, they could always dub it over as "Action Force" for some countries, but I do not want to see the US version of GI Joe butchered just because we're a somewhat controversial country.

I totally agree with you.

 

[deathshead2]

I thought the producer guy said Cobra is to silly to be in the movie? If this is true im going to be so pissed. Can't have Joe without the COBRA.

 

[Timstuff]

Saying Cobra is too silly for a GI Joe movie is like saying Decepticons are too silly for a TF movie.

 

[Movies205]

To Vile, that's the exact reason I'd want to see a G.I. Joe movie is because there's way too much lefty stuff out there, don't get me wrong I enjoy it but it's time to make an army movie that isn't so anti-war... And something Pro-American...

 

[Timstuff]

Exactly. If there's room out there for so many movies that are critical of the military, I think it's about time we had one that says something positive about it, and I'm sure audiences would be happy to take a look as well.

 

[TheVileOne]

GI JOE isn't really the military though. It's a total comic bookish almost a super hero type of team. It's not realistic in portrayal of the military at all. But that's also kind of why I liked it.

Also, let's note, the American flag is in Spider-man, but Sony removes those images from the international releases because they don't want to upset those audiences.

Once again, do you guys really think this kind of movie would be successful overseas if it was made the way we want it? Ideally this would NOT be a cheap movie to make either. It would probably end up being pretty costly.

I also don't know how truly lucrative a big expensive live action GI JOE movie would be.

 

[Timstuff]

GI Joe is not realistic, but they are still US soldiers (and many of them are based off of real US military branches), and there's a patriotic theme carried throughout it. If they're worried about it upsetting people in some countries, then they can do like I suggested and dub it over as "Action Force" and cut out all the references to America, like they did with the show. As long as the US version is faithful to the cartoon, then they could make the international version have Cobra Commander turn out to be Abraham Lincoln for all I care. Okay, so maybe I would get somewhat PO'd over that, but you get my point.

 

[TheVileOne]

They aren't going to totally re-edit the movie for the international audiences.

Instead they are going to make the movie they feel will get the maximum profit worldwide, not just in the US and from fanboys like us.

Anyway, it's not 2002 anymore where it was more popular to wave a flag and be patriotic. It sucks but it was essentially just another fad.

 

[blind_fury]

The international audiences will think of GI Joe as a tool for American hegemony until they see the ninjas, chicks with cross bows, and flying hovercrafts and realize it's not to be taken too seriously.

Keep the tongue in cheek ultra-patriotism and unbridled, gung ho nationalism. It will be seen as a satire of a self-righteous War on Terror that will make more overseas than it does in the United States.

 

[TheVileOne]

I would prefer it not be a silly tongue-in-cheek satire like Starship Troopers.

 

[blind_fury]

Either way no one is going to take it seriously.

 

[CobraCommander]

I firmly believe that GI Joe can be faithfully adapted for an international audience without sacrificing what makes GI Joe great. So long as the villains are truly villainous, and the heroes are truly heroic, it won't matter what country you live in.