UPDATED:

Just in – fresh from the failed WONDER WOMAN TV show, actress Adrianna Palicki has now signed on to the female lead, Lady Jaye. Having not yet seen the WONDER WOMAN pilot (NBC are doing a great job keeping that sucker buried!), or even a single episode of her previous TV show FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, I’m not sure whether this is good news or bad. Anybody?

Here’s our previous story…

———————————————————————————-

28/06/11

thought I was the only one who went to see G.I. JOE: RISE OF COBRA back in 2009. Obviously this is not the case – not only is the sequel actually going ahead, but it’s also scored a major casting coup in the form of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

As previously reported, rumours of his casting (as the character Roadblock) have been circling for a while, but with the original underperforming at the box office and tepid critical response, many believed this to be mere hype. But today, the hulking thesp announced on Twitter: “It’s official: Call the Pentagon, get me my big ass gun – Rock’s a JOE!”

Also joining the sequel – tentatively titled G.I. JOE: COBRA STRIKES – will be hip-hop star turned actor turned director* The RZA as Blind Master (trainer of Snake Eyes), D.J. Cotrona as Flint, and Elodie Yung as Jinx, (UK readers are excused for not having a clue who any of these characters actually are – we didn’t have G.I. Joe as kids, we had Action Man instead).

Reprising their roles from the original are Channing Tatum as Duke, Ray Parks as Snake Eyes, and, erm… that’s it. Joseph Gordon Levitt can almost be forgiven for passing on returning as Cobra Commander (he was hidden under that mask for almost the entirety of the first flick after all), but what of the rest? Sienna Miller? Marlon Wayans? Dennis Quaid? Too good for G.I. JOE now, hmm? With The Rock’s casting, Paramount will obviously be pinning their hopes on this being a huge summer movie, if it’s a personal decision not to return, it’s undoubtedly one they will go on to regret if the flick performs as well as planned. On the other hand it’s possible none of them were even invited back, in which case I apologise.

One minor cause for concern however, is Paramount’s choice of director – Jon Chu, the filmmaker behind such classics as STEP UP 2, STEP UP 3D, and most recently JUSTIN BIEBER: NEVER SAY NEVER. Odd. Maybe G.I. JOE: COBRA STRIKES A POSE might be more appropriate?

* His debut, the Eli Roth-produced kung-fu throwback THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS is currently in post production.

Is there anybody out there looking forward to this, or is it just me? Let us know with your comments below!