13 years on, Transformers G.I. Joe crossover is finally dead

The Transformers G.I. Joe crossover that Paramount teased for more than a decade is no longer in development. Deadline disclosed the change Thursday, Oct. 1, in its exclusive report that Bradley Cooper will play Duke in Danny McBride’s new “G.I. Joe” movie.

According to Deadline, McBride’s film will be a reimagining of the Hasbro franchise and “uncoupled” from the planned team-up with Transformers. Plot details are under wraps.

How the Transformers G.I. Joe crossover took shape

The idea has a long paper trail, which CBR laid out after the news broke:

• 2013: Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura said Paramount was planning a crossover, then walked it back, saying it was not an immediate priority. “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” director Jon M. Chu said he was interested.
• 2021: Paramount began actively developing the idea again.
• 2023: “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” was positioned as the first film in a shared continuity, and its press tour revived fan buzz.
• 2024: The crossover was officially announced at CinemaCon, and Paramount hired Derek Connolly to write it.
• 2026: Deadline reports the project is no longer in development.

Why the plan stalled

Neither franchise built the momentum the Transformers G.I. Joe crossover needed. CBR noted that “Rise of the Beasts” disappointed at the box office, and the animated “Transformers One” did not turn things around. The 2021 spinoff “Snake Eyes” also fizzled, leaving Paramount without an active “G.I. Joe” film series to cross over with.

CBR also tied the project’s uncertainty to Paramount’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which is expected to close Oct. 6. Read more on the judge’s approval of the Paramount-WBD merger.

What happens to each franchise now

With the Transformers G.I. Joe crossover gone, “G.I. Joe” has the clearer path. McBride is directing and co-writing with Jeff Fradley and John Carcieri, and di Bonaventura, Mark Vahradian and Hasbro Entertainment’s Zev Foreman are producing, Deadline reported. McBride put Cooper at the top of his wish list, and Cooper signed on after reading the script, according to Deadline. Our story on Cooper as Duke has more on the casting.

The Transformers side is murkier. CBR listed several projects that have been in development, including a return for Michael Bay and a direct “Rise of the Beasts” sequel, but said none has gained much momentum. It added that Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has made reviving the “Transformers” films a priority.

Paramount has not said whether a Transformers G.I. Joe crossover could return later, and it has not announced a new live-action “Transformers” release date. For a look back at the robots’ history on screen, read our tribute to Optimus Prime voice actor Peter Cullen.