Walton Goggins, most recently seen in Predators and Cowboys & Aliens, has signed with Paramount for a part in G. I. Joe 2.

Variety reports that Goggins' character in G. I. Joe 2: Retaliation will be Warden Nigel James.

He's most famous for his role as Detective Shane Vendrell in The Shield, but since it closed production in 2008, Goggins has had several supporting big screen roles and will also play Wells A. Hutchins in the upcoming Lincoln (starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

Others who have recently joined G. I. 2's impressively diverse cast list include Dwayne Johnson and Wu Tang's RZA. Bruce Willis is also set to play the Joe of the title.

G. I. Joe 2 is directed by Jon Chu (Justin Bieber: Never Say Never) and written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Zombieland). It's scheduled to be released at some point during summer 2012. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Ray Stevenson is villain Firefly in G.I. Joe 2: Cobra Strikes [9th July 2011 09:00:49]

It's fair to say that G. I. Joe didn't enjoy a great deal of critical love.

By rights, nobody should be getting too excited about the prospect of a sequel, but the cast that director Jon Chu is putting together is pretty hard to ignore.

Ray Stevenson, most recently seen as Volstagg in Thor, has joined the cast as villain Firefly.

Stevenson has starred in Punisher: War Zone and The Other Guys, but he's still best known for his role as rowdy soldier Titus Pullo in TV show Rome.

He joins Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson in the sequel, as well as the recently cast Adrianne Palicki. Bruce Willis' name has also been bandied about, but his involvement remains a rumour.

The movie is further distanced from its predecessor by the fact Tatum seems to be the only cast member returning (although Lee Byung-hun and Ray Park have also been mooted to be coming back).

Here's hoping that G. I. Joe 2 can deliver some more impressive action, a leaner plot and, in the form of Stevenson, a more threatening villain than the limp first instalment managed.

G. I. Joe 2: Cobra Strikes is expected to arrive in summer 2012. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Adrianne Palicki is G.I. Joe 2's Lady Jaye [3rd July 2011 04:24:12]

Friday Night Lights star Adrianne Palicki has joined G. I. Joe: Cobra Strikes as female lead Lady Jaye.

Palicki recently starred as Wonder Woman in a TV pilot that wasn't picked up, and she also appeared in awful Paul Bettany vehicle Legion.

She joins recently-cast Dwayne Johnson in Joe sequel Cobra Strikes, which is to be directed by Jon Chu (Justin Bieber: Never Say Never).

Channing Tatum, Lee Byung-hun and Ray Park are the only actors from the original said to be reprising their roles, so it'll be interesting to see what's in store in terms of villains.

Bruce Willis' name has been bandied about in relation to the original 'G. I. Joe', Joe Colton, but that's firmly in the rumour category at the moment, with several other actors purported to be on the list.

It's hard to think of many people who'd better suit the role than Willis though, and his presence would no doubt be a draw to those disappointed by the underwhelming first installment.

As Cobra Strikes has been written by Zombieland duo Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, it's looking like this might just be able to turn the franchise around. Source: www.totalfilm.com

Dwayne Johnson in negotiations for G.I. Joe 2 [7th June 2011 03:32:17]

Dwayne Johnson has entered talks to join the cast of G. I. Joe 2 aka G. I. Joe: Cobra Strikes.

Deadline reports that the ex-wrestler is up for the role of Roadblock. In the original comics, Roadblock is a bad-ass African-American who serves the dual role as the Joe's machine gunner and, uh, chef.

Further boosting G. I. Joe 2's muscle index count is Channing Tatum, who starred in the first film and is in talks to reprise his role of Duke for the sequel.

Tatum is just one of three characters from 2009's G. I. Joe movie tipped to return for the next installment, with Storm Shadows (Lee Byung-hun) and Snake Eyes (Ray Park) both joining him.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who played Cobra Commander in G. I. Joe, has confirmed that he won't be back for the follow-up ? and after that hit-and-miss first film (which had him in a mask for most of the running time anyway), we don't blame him.
G. I. Joe 2 is apparently now a priority for Paramount. With JJ Abrams confirming that he wants to make Star Trek 2 his next project, the studio is apparently taking the sequel off their 2012 slate to give Abrams more time to do it right.

G. I. Joe: Cobra Strikes opens August 2012. Source: www.totalfilm.com