That's Duke on the left.Ain't It Cool News purports that rising young star Channing Tatum has landed the prime role of Duke in 2009's G.I. Joe movie. The site claims the news will be officially announced Monday afternoon.
Duke is the leader of the special forces team known as G.I. Joe. The 27-year-old Tatum is best known for his starring role in Step Up. He's also in director Kimberly Peirce's post-Iraq war drama Stop-Loss, coming this spring.
In our casting picks posted last August, we selected Tatum as our choice for Flint, G.I. Joe's first lieutenant. Like the choice for Snake Eyes, perhaps director Stephen Sommers is using our selections as a guide.
If Mr. Sommers is indeed listening, it's not too late to put Thomas Jane in the Duke role. We don't dislike Channing, it's just that we think Jane fits the role better.
Oh, and, Stephen, please don't forget Gary Oldman for the Cobra Commander role.
G.I. Joe arrives in theaters on Aug. 7, 2009.
UPDATE: Looks like the rumored casting of Tatum is indeed true. According to Variety, Dennis Quaid has been cast as Hawk, the general in charge of G.I. Joe. Also, The Mummy's Arnold Vosloo will play the chameleon-like Zartan, an agent of Cobra.
Personally, I'm really excited about these new actors. I'm a lot more comfortable with the choice of a young Duke having Hawk as the true leader (as it should be). I kinda figured they'd go the way of the '80s cartoon and leave out Hawk all together.
