There's an interview with GI Joe 2 director John Chu over at The Deadbolt in which he talks about Justin Bieber, his dance movies and, eventually, what he wants to accomplish with GI Joe.
THE DEADBOLT: With G.I. Joe 2, how will you approach it to maximize the potential of that project?
CHU: Well, for Joe, I grew up playing with G.I. Joes and watching Joe and reading the comics of Joe. It means so much to me. To me, it's one of the few brands that has a soul, a multi-generational soul, where it's about what it means to be a leader in the community, in your home, with your friends, and what it means to be a leader and a hero. I think that's an important message right now in the world when everyone’s kind of questioning what it means to be the leader of the world.
I think it's not just another action movie. Maybe the first one was that, but we're really trying to break it down and take the shine off and show that my Joes were the ones in the mud, the sand and the trees and in the epic worldwide adventures. Each one had individual talents. So we really want to bring the experience of what I grew up with playing with these toys. What it feels like so that kids now can be reintroduced to the Joes and experience it in a different way. This is like down and dirty Joe for me.
That's the pertinent bit, but go read the entire interview to see how Chu responds to those who say a guy who directs dance movies can't possibly pull off big summer action.
Then go to Box Office Magazine, where he gives a more Joe-focused interview. It repeats some of the same points, but also adds a lot more. Whatever you think of the choice to hire John Chu, you can't deny that he's excited about making the movie be the best it possibly can.
