GI Joe began as a series of twelve-inch Hasbro action figures for boys representing the U.S. military in 1964 and went on to become a smash hit that's spanned nearly six decades. Rebranding in the early 1980s as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero saw the introduction of 3.75-inch action figures and military vehicles (in competition with Star Wars) and an exciting storyline that pitted the U.S. military against the terrorist organization known as Cobra. Inspiring a hit Saturday morning cartoon series, a twelve-year Marvel Comic book run and three live-action movies over the years, the Real American Hero and his brothers-in-arms made an impact on pop culture that won't soon be forgotten.
In 2009, the first live-action G.I. Joe movie, The Rise of Cobra, hit theaters, earning more than $302 million at the box office worldwide, and while that encouraged Paramount Pictures to produce two more films for the franchise between 2013 and 2023, there have been major gaps between releases. Critics were savage about the first film, but that didn't mean much to fans, who seemed to love the franchise. All three films have featured plenty of big names over the years, including Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Brendan Fraser and Adrienne Pallicki. With a fourth movie rumored to be coming in 2024, as well as a G.I. Joe and Transformers crossover movie potentially on the horizon, let's take a look at the watch order.
How Many G.I. Joe Movies Are There?
G.I. Joe's foray into film started in with animation, producing five animated films between 1987 and 2009. The franchise's first live-action film was released the same year as the final animated film. With major gaps between releases for the live-action movies and actors changing from one film to the next, a lot of people wonder if they're actually connected to each other. All three films are connected, and they should be viewed chronologically to experience the full story from start to finish.
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
Starring Channing Tatum, Christopher Eccleston, Dennis Quaid and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra explores an action/science-fiction plot set in the near future. When a weapons master introduces nanotech weaponry capable of devouring metal, the G.I. Joe team led by Duke and Ripcord is charged with delivering the weapons to NATO. Ambushed by Duke's ex-fiancee, the team must retrieve the nanotech before her husband, Baron DeCobray, can weaponize them in a particle accelerator.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
With Channing Tatum reprising his role as Duke, the elite team finds themselves in North Korea searching for a defector before they are charged with stealing nuclear warheads from Pakistan during the chaos of the Civil War after the death of the Pakistani president. When the U.S. president makes a strange announcement, Lady Jaye concludes him to be an impersonator, which prompts them to steal his DNA and uncover the truth: the U.S. Government has been infiltrated by Cobra.
Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021)
In yet another attempt to reboot the franchise, Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins took a deep dive into one of the franchise's most beloved characters, ninja assassin Snake Eyes. Unfortunately, it was a box office flop, pulling in only about $40 million worldwide. Starring Henry Golding as the mysterious Snake Eyes, the movie explores his time working for Yakuza boss Kenta while searching for his father's murderer. Snake Eyes' origin tale offers a detailed look at his family, history and the circumstances that put him on the path to becoming a hero.
Will There Be Another G.I. Joe Movie?
Following the release of Snake Eyes, Paramount had big plans to keep the momentum going, but at this time, so much is still up in the air. For a time, it was in talks with Amazon about a television series exploring the character Lady Jaye, but the project was scrapped. According to producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura in a recent interview with Collider, there are still talks behind the scenes about future films in the franchise, including G.I. Joe: Ever Vigilant, which is currently in the production stages. There have also been talks of a G.I. Joe vs The Transformers crossover film, but nothing is concrete at this time.
Despite continued poor reception to the live-action films, Paramount does not seem discouraged enough to give up. Critics do wonder if they might have better reception if they focused on television instead of the big screen.
What Does G.I. Joe Stand For?
Many people have come to accept that G.I. stands for "Grounded Infantry," but the term was actually born from a stamp that used to appear on metal items made from galvanized iron for military purposes. The term GI expanded to cover all things military-related during World War I, earning the label "government issue." During World War II, soldiers began calling themselves GIs, with a more specialized term for U.S. soldiers becoming GI Joes. Comic strip creator and soldier Dave Breger coined the term GI Joe in his weekly comic for Yank Magazine, with Hasbro adopting the name for its military toy franchise in the 1960s.
Where to Watch G.I. Joe Movies?
All three G.I. Joe movies are currently available to stream on Paramount+ with a subscription. G.I. Joe: Retaliation is also streaming on Netflix at this time. The films are also available for purchase or rent from streaming sites like Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, Roku, Google Play and Redbox.