Channing Tatum is DUKE, Ray Park is SNAKE EYES
With the writers strike nearly over (allegedly), the casting of the highly anticipated live action version of GI JOE is well underway.
It was recently announced Channing Tatum ("She's the Man," "Step Up" and the upcoming "Stop Loss") will be filling out the fatigues as "Duke" and Dennis Quaid ("Far From Heaven" and the upcoming "Vantage Point") will play the commander "Hawk."
They join Sienna Miller ("Factory Girl") as villainess "Baroness," and Marlon Wayans ("Scary Movie") as "Ripcord."
Also cast: Rachel Nichols ("Alias" and most recently "P2") has joined as the cross bow toting Scarlett and Arnold Vosloo ("The Mummy") as Zartan. Joseph Gordon-Levitt will play a new character named Rex (and rumored that the character turns evil.
Other than the casting of Tatum, the best casting move of the film has to be Ray Park (Toad from "X-Men" and Darth Maul from "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace") as "Snake Eyes." Park doesn't even have to open his mouth to steal an entire scene right out from under every actor on screen. (In "Sleepy Hollow" he didn't even have a head!) He's one of the most gifted "fight actors": in Hollywood.
David Murray is DESTRO
Of the lesser known talent, Saïd Taghmaoui ("The Kite Runner") will play "Breaker," Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje ("Lost") will play "Heavy Duty" and Byung-Hun Lee ("Hero") will play "Storm Shadow."
The projected breakout of the new movie? Possibly Irish actor David Murray who will play the chrome headed Destro. You will probably NOT remember his as the "Jumpy Thug" from "Batman Begins." If casting a rather unknown in such a large role seems strange, just remember that no one knew Hugh Jackman before he was cast as Wolverine. (And "Wolverine," the spin-off film from "X-Men" just began 2nd Unit photography.)
The film is set to be released August 7, 2009.
+Chad Darnell
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