'G.I. Joe 3' star Channing Tatum may not be returning for a third time in the series since he admitted that he hated his role as Duke. Co-star Dwayne Johnson may take over the franchise as the newest main protagonist.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Channing Tatum admitted that he will not be returning for a sequel in the G.I. Joe cinematic series. Tatum starred in the first two films 'G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra' and 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' as Duke, the leader of the G.I. Unit. Speaking with the Howard Stern radio show, he revealed that he didn't enjoy playing Duke and was merely following through with a contract with Paramount Pictures.
The 35-year old actor said candidly, "Look, I'll be honest. I f---ing hate that movie... I didn't want to do something that was 1) bad and 2) I didn't know if I wanted to be G.I. Joe." He added that he resented the film since its script "wasn't any good" despite earning millions in the box office. He was reportedly offered the role some time in 2007-2008 during the Writers Guild of America strike.
Another article from ABC News reported that Tatum was offered a three-picture deal for 'G.I. Joe' after starring in 'Coach Carter'. Tatum admitted that although he loved the series growing up, he was disappointed to be cast as Duke since he wanted to play Snake Eyes as a kid. The script also didn't seem to be at par with his standards and expectations.
Should Tatum stand by his decision not to return for 'G.I. Joe 3', it may be that co-star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson may take over the series. According to Franchise Herald, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura confirmed that they may make Johnson lead protagonist for the next releases.
He said, "The last movie was really the set up, in a way, for Roadblock to take over... Dwayne came aboard a little late last time so we weren't able to do everything I think we can do this time, and really get a story that services what the audience expects out of him."
'G.I. Joe 3' is a planned installment in the cinematic franchise based on Hasbro's popular toy line of the same name. The first film in the series, 'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra', was directed by Stephen Sommers and earned $302 million in the box office while the second film, 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' was directed by Jon M. Chu and earned $375 million.
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