Paramount Pictures has officially announced a theatrical release date for its upcoming G.I. Joe film, with the new live-action project scheduled to arrive in cinemas on October 20, 2028. Directed by Danny McBride and starring Bradley Cooper as Duke, the film will reimagine the long-running franchise, which began as a Hasbro toy line before expanding into comic books, animated series and live-action films.
Danny McBride will direct the project from a screenplay he has co-written with Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri. McBride is best known for creating and starring in television comedies such as Eastbound & Down and The Righteous Gemstones. His involvement brings a different creative voice to a property that has remained part of popular culture for decades. The upcoming film also marks a significant feature-film directing project for McBride, who will take the franchise into a new chapter.
Bradley Cooper is set to play Conrad “Duke” Hauser, one of the most recognisable characters in the G.I. Joe universe. Closely associated with the team and its military operations, Duke has traditionally been a central figure in the franchise. Cooper’s casting places the character at the centre of Paramount’s new adaptation, although the studio is keeping the film’s storyline and other plot details under wraps. The project is being described as a reimagining rather than a direct continuation of the previous live-action films.
The film will be produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian and Zev Foreman for Hasbro Entertainment. Di Bonaventura is a longtime producer associated with the G.I. Joe film franchise. Hasbro Entertainment has several film and television projects in development as the company looks to bring fresh creative voices to its established properties. The new film follows that approach by pairing a familiar franchise with McBride’s distinctive creative sensibility and Cooper in one of its central roles.
The G.I. Joe property has travelled a long way from its origins as a toy line to becoming a major entertainment franchise. Its first major live-action theatrical release, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, arrived in 2009, followed by G.I. Joe: Retaliation in 2013. The franchise returned to cinemas in 2021 with Snake Eyes, a standalone origin story centred on the masked ninja character.
However, the live-action films have struggled to establish consistent success with audiences and critics. Snake Eyes earned around $40 million worldwide during the pandemic recovery period, while the first two films were moderate box-office performers despite receiving negative critical responses. Paramount’s new project therefore offers another opportunity to revisit the property and introduce its characters to a wider theatrical audience.
Cooper’s casting as Duke and McBride’s involvement as director and co-writer bring together established talent from outside the franchise. The combination also signals a fresh creative direction for the next big-screen adaptation while retaining its connection to Hasbro’s long-running property. Further casting announcements and an official synopsis have not yet been released.
Alongside the G.I. Joe release announcement, Paramount and Blumhouse Atomic have also revised the theatrical release date of the next Paranormal Activity film. Previously scheduled to arrive on May 21, 2027, the new instalment will now open on October 22, 2027, placing it in the Halloween season. The film is directed by Ian Tuason, who drew attention with his independent horror feature Undertone.
The upcoming horror film stars Chase Yi, Sonia Mena and Maya Da Costa. Franchise creator Oren Peli returns as a producer for Solana Films, alongside James Wan and Jason Blum for Blumhouse Atomic. Michael Clear and Judson Scott will executive produce for Blumhouse Atomic, while Steven Schneider, Dan Slater and Cody Calahan are also attached as executive producers.
The original Paranormal Activity, released in 2007, became a major success for the found-footage horror genre, earning nearly $194 million worldwide. The franchise has since expanded to seven instalments and generated more than $900 million globally. Moving the latest film from a summer release to the Halloween corridor places it in a theatrical window closely associated with horror releases and audiences.
The two announcements highlight Paramount’s plans for its established properties across different genres. McBride’s G.I. Joe reimagining is scheduled to bring the action franchise back to cinemas in October 2028, while the next Paranormal Activity film is set to return in October 2027. Both projects give the studio opportunities to revisit familiar franchises with new creative teams and introduce their worlds to another generation of moviegoers.