The upcomingSnake Eyes: G. I. Joe Origins, starring Henry Golding, is intended to be an origin story on the most mysterious character in the G. I. Joe franchise, perhaps even one of the most mysterious characters in mainstream media. Throughout the great majority of G. I. Joe content, virtually all the information about him, beyond the codename Snake Eyes, has been classified. It seems interesting that the franchise all of a sudden would decide to make an origin film revealing all this information on the character, particularly when it seems that perhaps the appeal was that he was highly mysterious.
Much likethe upcomingCruella, it does feel as though this franchise wanted to try their hand at aJokersort of origin film. Apparently, this film is also supposed to be the first of a series of films that will function as a reboot for the G. I. Joe film franchise. As early as 2003, there was the discussion for a G. I. Joe film series, but the project was shelved until the release ofG. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobrain 2009, which was followed byG. I. Joe: Retaliationin 2013. It seems that there was a writers' room trying to figure out what would come next for the franchise for some time, but nothing ever came of it, until they got the idea forSnake Eyes: G. I. Joe Origins.
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In one of his early missions for G. I. Joe, Snake Eyes was disfigured as a result of a helicopter explosion. He had extensive plastic surgeries to repair his face, but his vocal cords couldn’t be fixed. Subsequently, he always wears a mask and never speaks, but the upcomingSnake Eyes: G. I. Joe Originswill apparently take place prior to this event, focusing more on Snake Eyes’ training. Supposedly the film discusses how the forces of good and the forces of evil have pulled Snake Eyes in opposite directions and will delve into who Snake Eyes is as a human being. The trailer also featuredother G. I. Joe characters, Storm Shadow and Scarlett.
It is a possibility that Snake Eyes’ backstory will be rewritten to some extent. It seems unlikely that an actor like Henry Golding would be hired to portray a character who is primarily going to be covered by a mask and not speaking, especially if this film is going tokick start a series of filmsinvolving this same character. Although, it is true that Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper both star in the variousGuardians of the Galaxyfilms and the audience hardly recognizes Cooper as Rocket Raccoon and probably even forgets that the person voicing Groot also plays Dom Toretto in theFast & Furious movies.
Golding’s big break was as the male lead ofCrazy Rich Asians, a popular rom-com based on the novel by the same name. After that, he was in the thrillerA Simple Favor, and Guy Ritchie’sThe Gentlemen. For his upcoming role as Snake Eyes, he is said to have underwent two months of intense training in both combat and katana wielding. It is clear that he is a capable actor and that he is willing to put in the work to play such an iconic character, but one has to wonder if the character was so iconic because of how everything about him was so unknown.
Snake Eyes action figureshave even already been made in anticipation of the release of this film. The toys are similar in appearance to previous Snake Eyes action figures, only these are without a mask, their faces resembling Golding’s. It is said that the choice to give Snake Eyes the mask was cost-effective for the producers of the toys. His action figure, not needed an expensive and detailed face, wearing a plain, all-black costume, could be made almost entirely from parts ofexisting action figures. The new toys with Golding’s face however seem to further suggest that after this movie, the character will be seen without a mask more than he ever has before.
This film will surely mean a lot of change in the near future for the Snake Eyes character, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Todd Phillips’Jokersimilarly changed a lot about the Joker character, although in many ways that film is not necessarily canon andperhaps should not be perceived as canon.Snake Eyes: G. I. Joe Originscould similarly be an interesting movie that is not necessarily canon, although it does seem that the franchise would like for it to be. Lately, it seems like the audience has more of a say than ever before, and perhaps the response to this film will decide if it is going to be considered canon or not.
