Paramount has enlisted the services of Jonathan Lemkin (Devil Advocate, Shooter) to take on the script for the third G.I Joe movie. The action sequel is still without a director since Jon M Chu opted not to return following his work on last year’s G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Only a few months ago it appeared that Chu would be back to direct with writer Evan Daugherty attached to draft the script, plans changed when Chu took on an adaptation of Jem and the Holograms and was unable to commit to G.I Joe.

Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura recently commented that the search for a replacement director is now underway.

“We’re just starting [to talk to directors].  We’re negotiating with a writer right now, and once we close that deal—which should be any moment—then we’ll have a story locked down. I’m really excited about it.”

There’s no details on which characters will be returning, but Lorenzo di Bonaventura is adamant that Dwayne Johnson will reprise the role of Roadblock to lead the Joes on their latest mission.

“It’s interesting, it’s sort of an open possibility right now who could be in it outside of Dwayne [Johnson], he has to be in it.  The last movie was really the set up, in a way, for Roadblock to take over.

Dwayne came aboard a little late last time so we weren’t able to do everything I think we can do this time, and really get a story that services what the audience expects out of him, and also as an actor pushes him into areas that you wouldn’t normally explore in a big franchise movie perhaps.  We have not talked about any other cast or anything, because we really need a story to be completely signed off by everybody.”

G.I Joe 3 is currently set for a summer 2016 release.