A new international trailer for Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins has arrived, revealing some new snippets of footage that weren't seen in the recently-released domestic promo, which landed a few days back. The latest chapter in the franchise is coming to theaters in less than a month, with the marketing campaign now beginning to kick into high gear.
A hybrid of spinoff, prequel and origin story, Henry Golding stars as the mysterious protagonist, trained in the ways of the ninja by a shadowy clan known as the Arashikage. However, his loyalty to the cause is tested when secrets and revelations from his past resurface, setting him on the path to becoming the titular and permanently masked hero of the G.I. Joe universe.
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Paramount will be hoping that Snake Eyes marks third time lucky for the studio's attempts to turn G.I. Joe into a money-spinning franchise. Stephen Sommers' 2009 opener The Rise of Cobra earned a shade over $300 million at the box office against a hefty $175 million budget, but the blockbuster was essentially a live-action version of Team America without a hint of irony or self-awareness. To illustrate that point, at one stage Channing Tatum's Duke rides a motorcycle through a graveyard in the rain while wearing sunglasses, and it's supposed to be treated with the utmost seriousness.
John M. Chu's 2013 effort Retaliation roped in self-proclaimed "Franchise Viagra" Dwayne Johnson, and while it fared better than its predecessor from a critical and commercial perspective, the numbers still weren't strong enough to generate a direct sequel, so eight years later we're getting another fresh start.
The action looks suitably impressive, with director Robert Schwentke marrying intricate hand-to-hand combat with the requisite effects-driven pyrotechnics, and based on nothing but the footage alone, Snake Eyes looks like it could be a whole lot of fun. Golding is an undeniably talented and charismatic actor aiming to make a seamless transition into action hero territory, and the supporting ensemble is solid.
Warrior's Andrew Koji and The Raid's Uko Uwais provide the martial arts badassery as Storm Shadow and Hard Master respectively, while fast-rising star Samara Weaving and Money Heist breakout Úrsula Corberó lend support as Scarlett and the Baroness, in addition to Haruka Abe's Akiko, Takehiro Hira's Kenta and Peter Mensah's Blind Master. Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins releases on July 23, and you can check out the new international trailer below.