Paramount’s Bold Move – Max Landis and Danny McBride Team Up for New G.I. Joe Movie

Paramount is moving forward with a new “G.I. Joe” movie, taking an unusual approach to its development. The studio has hired two writers, Max Landis and Danny McBride, to work separately on scripts for the film, with plans to combine their ideas into a single movie.

Sources say that while the two scripts are being developed independently, the goal is to merge them later into one cohesive story. Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing the project.

Landis, son of director John Landis, is known for writing hits like Chronicle and Bright. He has also explored superhero stories, including a viral take on Superman and a DC comic mini-series. However, his career has been controversial. In the late 2010s, several women accused him of sexual and emotional abuse.

No charges were filed, but the allegations led to him losing representation and projects. Landis has acknowledged past mistakes, saying in a YouTube video, “I get why certain people hate me.” He has continued creating content online, including videos that reinterpret superhero stories.

Danny McBride, better known for his work in comedy, has co-created shows like Righteous Gemstones, Eastbound & Down, and Vice Principals. He has also ventured into horror, co-writing the Halloween trilogy and 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer, though the latter did not perform well at the box office.

Paramount’s decision to hire Landis is part of a larger pattern at the Skydance-run studio. Under David Ellison, the company has often worked with figures who have faced controversy, including former Pixar head John Lasseter and director Brett Ratner.

Developing two scripts at once is rare but not unheard of in Hollywood. In the 2010s, studios like Warner Bros. and Universal experimented with multiple scripts for big franchises before choosing which direction to follow. Paramount has previously used similar approaches with its Transformers and Star Trek films, including a proposed G.I. Joe/Transformers crossover.

Combining Landis’ and McBride’s scripts will likely bring together very different tones: Landis’ dramatic, superhero-infused style and McBride’s dark comedic edge. It remains to be seen how the studio will balance these two voices into a single “G.I. Joe” story.

This approach is both ambitious and risky. Having two very different writers could create a fresh take on the franchise, but it also could lead to a tone that feels uneven if not handled carefully. I’m curious to see how Paramount blends these scripts. What do you think about Landis and McBride working together on this iconic action franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments.