G.I. Joe: Retaliation Delayed to 2013

Posted by on May 23rd, 2012   Filed under: Action, Industry News
Source: Deadline

Well, this year’s summer movie season just got a little bit less exciting. Although it was once thought to be a pretty ill-advised sequel, the anticipation was starting to build for G.I. Joe: Retaliation and it was looking like Paramount would potentially have a decent summer hit on their hands. Sadly, with just over a month to go before the movie’s release, they have made a decision that could potentially kill all of the marketing momentum dead in its tracks. The movie will no longer be released this summer and will instead be pushed back to March 2013. The reason? They want to post-convert it to 3D because they’ve “seen how it can better box office internationally.” Hey, if studios want people to embrace 3D, they might want to stop using it as an excuse to delay movies.

According to Deadline, Paramount is taking a cue from James Cameron’s Titanic 3D re-release, which didn’t do so well here but made a lot of money internationally. The story sounds more than a little bit familiar as Hollywood has already been busy catering to audiences overseas in order maximize their profits. Is this further proof that American moviegoers are no longer the ideal target market?

I also have to wonder if the box office numbers for The Avengers were getting to be a little too intimidating, along with the knowledge that The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises were also coming. However, March is becoming a pretty common month to open big movies as well, and Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful, Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Killer and Stephenie Meyer’s The Host are all already slated for March 2013. Are you disappointed that you won’t get to see G.I. Joe: Retaliation this summer? Do you think this is a good or bad business decision?



  • bert belgium

    goddammit! this is just plain ridiculous, this was my second most anticipated movie of the summer. i agree that it kills any momentum this thing has had so far! and all the marketing up until now is just a waste if money i guess?? fucking bullshit!

  • Steve

    I don’t understand how you can shoot a movie like this and decide so late in the game to post-convert to 3D. Did none of them consider 3D as a viable money maker until The Avengers came out? This just seems like it’s going to piss off the only guaranteed fanbase this movie had going for it.

  • rjdelight

    Was kind of looking forward to it. It’s crazy that they decided this in the 11th hour. It also leaves a big hole in the summer movie release calendar. I’m used to a blockbuster every weekend and now June 29 has nothing.

  • Nelson

    Sadly, for them, this movie was on my radar, but at the very outer edge, if someone, anyone, had asked me what movies I am excited about this summer, I probably would not have mentioned GI Joe.

    That being said, having “The Rock” in the cast was a strong draw and they could have made a decent amount of money, as long as they weren’t opening on, before, or after the same weekend of any of the other movies that were mentioned.

    I think that a delay all the way until March of next year is foolish at this point, because I know there were probably a bunch of people that actually wanted to see the movie this summer, but if they are really lacking confidence in the movie to this degree, that is something to consider.

  • Billy

    Fuck me I goddam fucking hate to fuck this fucking cocksucker 3D bullshit. FUCK!

    I hate it. It’s retarded. The only movies that should be in 3D are cheesy ass horror flicks, like Piranha. Get this fucking 3D bullshit out of my fucking movies!

    I was so looking forward to this movie to.

    And fuck James Cameron. Titanic fuck!

  • Dave

    Meh. It’ll probably deserve its March release date.

  • Matt

    @Billy lay off the coke will ya?

    I wasn’t excited to see it, but probably would of gone on opening weekend. What they’re doing makes zero sense.

  • I wasn’t even excited for this, but that’s stupid as hell.

  • Nuno

    So I’ll have to wait 9 months and hope that I can still find a non-3D screening of it. This is the worst.

    I’m with Billy. Cameron was awesome right up until he made Titanic. Once he started taking himself too seriously, the work suffered and he sunk to being one of my least favorite directors.

  • Kasper

    #9 Amen.

    And this delay must cost them tens of millions of dollars – if not topping a 100. They’ve been pimping this movie not only in USA but also internationally.

  • patrik

    Of course it will make more money internationally if it’s in 3D, when that is the only fucking way we can see it!! The closest city to me with a good theatre pretty much only plays 3D now.. I hate it.

  • Hugo Van Nor

    Are people really asking for 3D? I fell sorry for the people overseas. They must not know any better.

  • Big Hungry

    For them it probably is a good business move… Look how the other hasbro movie did this summer “Battleship” did not do well. I really feel the 3D is just an excuse to not compete this summer. They know they can not compete but they can not let the public know that is why they are moving it.

  • 1138sw

    GI Joe moved to 2013 is a bad thing? Never was on my radar and will never be. Love the Rock, but the GI Joe franchise holds zero interests for me.

  • Brendan

    Geez, enough with the “I hate 3D” rants! So you don’t like it, so what? Even though this movie says it’s being delayed for 3D conversion, the bigger issue is they’re bumping it so it won’t get squashed this summer.

    Plus, it’s just business. 3D means potentially more money, period. You don’t have to like it, and you don’t have to see it. Vote with your dollars or euros or whatever.

    People complaining that “I can’t find a 2D screening so I have to see it in 3D” can just stop that argument right there. Maybe that’s a small issue on opening weekends, but you really can’t find ANY 2D screenings? Why not wait a week or two? Or wait until it’s at a discount theater? Or wait until it’s on dvd & blu-ray & VOD & itunes? Or just buy an eye patch or something, fuck, just stop complaining. Nobody owes you anything, so stop with the feelings of entitlement.

  • KeithTalent

    I hate 3D.

  • Rock is gonna have a KILLER Spring next year. This should clean up in March, and then Most Fastest Most Furiousnessest opens 2 months later.

  • Bino

    @Brendan. No, it actualy is a Fact that there is NO CHOICE WHATSOEVER when it comes to seeing a 3D movie in 2D. Whilst the Avengers was available in 2 D, it was for the dubbed version only and Men In Black 3 ist not playing in 2 D at all in Switzerland, so no wonder it “does well in 3D”.

  • Johnny Lovely

    I don’t think it’s wrong to stop it so they can convert it into 3D I just think it’s dumb to do it so late. I was looking forward to it despite the bad first one.

  • yo
    i love The Rock
    but if the first movie was any indication
    they are doing us a favor by delaying it
    if they are so hard up on getting 3D into it
    it can only mean that the movie sucks
    wasn’t even looking forward to it
    my condolences to its fans
    i hope you grow a braincell in the near future
    and maybe crack a book open, go to school, move out of moms basement

    i predict this movie will suck balls