‘G.I. Joe 3′ Reportedly Eyeing Martin Campbell to Direct

It’s been some time since we’ve gotten an update on ‘G.I. Joe 3,’ but don’t worry—Paramount hasn’t forgotten the third installment in the franchise. Although ‘Retaliation’ director Jon M. Chu has redirected his attention toward dance films, the third ‘Joe’ film already has a screenplay and has been searching for Chu’s replacement. A new report suggests that Paramount’s top choice is Martin Campbell, best known for directing the James Bond flick ‘Casino Royale’ and ‘Green Lantern.’

Last we reported, Paramount scheduled ‘G.I. Joe 3' (additional title undoubtedly forthcoming) for an unspecified 2016 release date, with ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ screenwriter Evan Daugherty penning the screenplay. It seems they’ve also put Jonathan Lemkin, whose previous credits include ‘Lethal Weapon 4' and ‘The Devil’s Advocate,’ on screenwriting duties.

A new report from SchmoesKnow suggests that Paramount’s top choice for director is Martin Campbell, who directed the Bond films ‘GoldenEye’ and ‘Casino Royale,’ as well as the films ‘The Mask of Zorro’ and ‘Green Lantern’ (I know, we said we weren’t going to talk about it anymore). According to this report, no serious negotiations have yet taken place, but Paramount and Campbell are in talks.

Jon M. Chu helmed ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation,’ a definite, um, Step-Up from the first ‘G.I. Joe’ film, which was directed by Stephen Sommers, and had been rumored to return for the third installment. He’s currently in post-production on his ‘Jem and the Holograms‘ film, and moving on to pre-production for ‘Now You See Me 2,’ which will hit theaters in 2016. He also recently announced the ‘90s dance film ‘Can’t Touch This.’