The shape of theG.I. JoeandTransformerscrossover movie has been clarified during a production update from one of the project’s producers. During the finale of 2023’sTransformers: Rise of the Beasts, the main character Noah (Anthony Ramos) was interviewed to join a group that was revealed to be the G.I. Joe organization, teasing that the movie’s sequel would feature a crossover between the two iconic multimedia franchises. TheG.I. JoeandTransformerscrossoverwas implied to be part of the plannedRise of the Beaststrilogy, which is largely unrelated to the upcoming animated movieTransformers One.
Screen Rant’s Rachel Foertsch recently had the opportunity to sit down with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who offered an update on theTransformersandG.I. Joecrossover. He confirmed that they are planning a live-action crossover movie, but he admitted that “I hesitate using the word crossover” because it has different implications for different people. For the producer himself, the term implies that"the Joes are going to be in the Transformers world and be present."
He described filmmaking as a “balancing act” of finding the right proportion of each major story element, revealing thatthe new movie is “still in the early process.“Read di Bonaventura’s full quote below:
Live-action we are going to deliver a G.I. Joe crossover. I hesitate using the word crossover because I think people think different things about what that means. For me, what it means is the Joes are going to be in the Transformers world and be present. I think every movie is sort of a balancing act of “How much do you have this? And in this movie, how funny can we be? How serious? How do you cross that line? How do you hide the villain?” All those sort of balancing things that you’re doing. We’re still in the early process, in a way, of trying to figure out the balance.
What Lorenzo di Bonaventura’s Comments Mean For The Transformers & G.I. Joe Crossover
While Bonaventura’s comments imply that the movieseemingly does not have any major plot details hashed out yet, he has revealed one major element of the new movie. Perhaps inevitably, given the fact that it follows the tease from theRise of the Beastsending, it will be aTransformersmovie rather than a full-on crossover between the two franchises. It seems that the sequel will be structured more like 2020’sScoob!, which features other Hanna-Barbera characters while still centering theScooby-Doogang, rather than more balanced crossover titles such asFreddy vs. JasonorAlien vs. Predator.
Scoob!featured cameos from other classic animated characters including Dynomutt the Dog Wonder, Captain Caveman, Atom Ant, Jabberjaw, Grape Ape, Frankenstein Jr., and Dr. Benton Quest.
This prioritizing of theTransformersfranchiseover theG.I. Joefranchisecould imply that either no characters or very few characters from the previousJoemovies will appearin the upcoming project. This makes sense, considering the fact that the franchise has had a scattered continuity, with 2009’sG.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobraand its 2013 sequelRetaliationlargely featuring different casts and the Henry Golding-led 2021 origin storySnake Eyeslikewise primarily following its own path.
Our Take On The Transformers & G.I. Joe Crossover
This Approach May Be Best For Both Franchises
Ultimately, it makes sense for this to be the trajectory of the newTransformersmovie. TheG.I. Joefranchise isstill seeking out an identity after the commercial failure ofSnake Eyes, which collapsed with a box office gross of $40.1 million against its roughly $100 million budget. As theJoefranchise explores what works in their own movies, it makes sense for them to slowly begin to rebuild their brand as a smaller part of the universe of the lucrativeRise of the Beasts, allowing interest to grow without jumping into a crossover with both feet.
