Stephen Sommers Not Up For GI JOE

By: Jarrod Sarafin, News Editor
Date: Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Source: Robert Sanchez at IESB

This should please all those fans who cringed when they heard that Stephen Sommers was up for the directing gig of G.I JOE. Apparently, that has been nixed by producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and the studio after he asked for too much money. Robert previously reported him being in negotiations for the director's chair right here.

So what happened? Why did it fall apart?

From the report, Sommers reportedly asked for a 10 million dollar salary to helm the project which the studio shot down rather fast. I'm not sure why he would ask for so much money with Mummy, Mummy 2 & Van Helsing under his belt but that's the speculation at this point.

At this point, the director's chair remains empty.

Big thanks to Maniac scooper, "jon41380" , for passing this along to me.

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Comments/Responses

Fallensbane • Aug 15, 2007, 02:21am •

Good. I enjoy his movies, but I didn't see him pulling this off.

Flint521466 • Aug 15, 2007, 02:37am •

Thank God! Summers would've infused too much CGI into the mix. This movie needs to be based in reality. No set up or backstory. the people going to see this film already know the deal. A team of 5 or 6 Joes, with some peripheral Joes thrown in, ie Wild Bill dropping them off some where. With Cobra Commander, Destro & Major Bludd and a crapload of COBRA troopers. And for the record Wahlberg & Statham combined couldn't hold Duke's jock.

TKay42one • Aug 15, 2007, 03:43am •

I too am pleased with this news. "The Mummy" was a great fun movie, and pretty cool to watch during all those years with no more Indiana Jones. However, I HATED "The Mummy Returns" and "Van Helsing". I just think Sommers ran out of steam a long time ago, or just doesn't try anymore. I still say (although I'm not a big fan) they should look at John Woo for this movie. You'd never believe the same guy did both "Face Off" and "Windtalkers", but I'm willing to say that Woo could probably find the happy medium where G.I.Joe is located. And does anybody else think it could be cool to see Bruce Willis play General Hawk? Ever since I saw him in "Hart's War", my first thought was General Hawk.

ponyboy76 • Aug 15, 2007, 05:42am •

Yes, thank Lucifer! While I enjoyed Mummy and Mummy 2, VanHelsing sucked. Sommers was the wrong choice for this movie. I agree it should be more reality based and he would have made it too fantastical and artificial.
Don`t know what he was smoking, that he thought he was worth 10 mil for this project. Unless he did it on purpose knowing full well they wouldn`t give him that much. Or maybe he figured with the success of Transformers, that the studio would be willing to gamble, but he isn`t Bay. He can`t deliver summer bloackbuster movies to the masses. Yes, Mummy 1 and 2 did well at the BO, but 10 mil? ha, nope.
This is coming out of left field but what about Joe Carnahan?

TKay42one • Aug 15, 2007, 05:55am •

Hey ponyboy76...I also enjoyed "Transformers" (aside from Bumblebee's golden shower scene), but you've got to take a look at this cartoon...Michael Bay is a Transformer too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGQsthDNGW0

Dazzler • Aug 15, 2007, 06:33am •

I would like to see in movie...

Joe side:
Snake Eyes
Duke
Scarlet
Shipwreck
Flint
Lady Jaye

Cobra side:
Disposable Cobras
Cobra Commander
Destro
Barroness
Zartan and Dreadnoks
Bats

And of course the movie should be about the weather dominator! It's the story everybody can get around.

manjisan • Aug 15, 2007, 07:16am •

Yes, thank the gods!! Sommers makes fun movies but after awhile is likened to way too much cotton candy on an empty stomach. I say Paul Greengrass should be offered the helm.

Hypnocilly • Aug 15, 2007, 07:27am •

awesome. great. beautiful. wonderful. Thank God for this news. bye bye Sommers, you hack... Though it would never happen, I'd love to see James Cameron direct this.

wessmith1966 • Aug 15, 2007, 07:28am •

Give this movie to Michael Bay; he's the perfect director for this project. Good guys, bad guys, a little campy dialogue here and there, mild (very) chracter development, weapons and exploding bombs galore...yeah, this project has Bay written all over it.

CappyMorgan • Aug 15, 2007, 07:47am •

Um, why would he ask for so much? Because Mummy and Mummy 2 were big hits. Come on, actors ask for 10 million all the time and these type of cotton candy films seem to rake in their share of the dough. And, because this is a kids franchise and I, for one, think this would be right up his alley. You guys take your cartoons waaaaay too seriously.

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