As Paramount looks to rebuild their G.I. Joe franchise in the same way they have Transformers, they’re starting with the most popular Joe of all. Henry Goulding stars in Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, and while the title invokes unpleasant memories of Wolverine: Origins, this film looks like it might actually be pretty good.
Goulding stars as the Joe team’s resident preeminent ninja warrior, in a story that explores his beginnings as a loner recruited into the Arashikage clan, where he encounters future rival Storm Shadow (Andrew Koji), Cobra agent Baroness (Úrsula Corberó), and fellow teammate/love interest Scarlett, played by the red-hot Samara Weaving.
This isn’t the first time Snake Eyes has been portrayed on the big screen. Ray Park, best known as Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace and Toad in the X-Men movies, played the character in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. This is the most physically demanding role yet for Goulding, who became something of a sex symbol for his performance in Crazy Rich Asians and A Simple Favor.
Directed by Robert Schwentke, Snake Eyes opens on July 23rd.
“Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” stars Henry Golding as Snake Eyes, a tenacious loner who is welcomed into an ancient Japanese clan called the Arashikage after saving the life of their heir apparent. Upon arrival in Japan, the Arashikage teaches Snake Eyes the ways of the ninja warrior while also providing something he’s been longing for: a home. But, when secrets from his past are revealed, Snake Eyes’ honor and allegiance will be tested – even if that means losing the trust of those closest to him. Based on the iconic G.I. Joe character, Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins also stars Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow, Úrsula Corberó as Baroness, Samara Weaving as Scarlett, Haruka Abe as Akiko, Tahehiro Hira as Kenta and Iko Uwais as Hard Master.”
