Though it was announced back in 2013 that the G.I. Joe franchise would be a three-parter, it hasn't yet begun filming—and if recently released reports are accurate, that could have something to do with the film's biggest star.
Dwayne Johnson is expected to reprise his role as Roadblock, but actor Byung-Hun Lee, who played Storm Shadow in the first two G.I. Joe films, confirmed to LRM Online that Johnson's busy schedule is preventing him from committing to a filming schedule.
"I heard from the studio that there’s a possibility to do the third one, but I think they’re waiting for the actors’ schedules,” he told LRM. “They’re arranging the schedules for the actors, especially Dwayne Johnson.”
Johnson, who was the highest paid actor last year, is involved in more high-profile film releases than you could probably count. He's starring in the eighth chapter of Fast and Furious, Jumanji, Moana, Baywatch, and Doc Savage, plus a whole bunch of other movies.
Gizmodo reported that the first two movies didn't make their domestic budgets, and that the third movie will likely be more geared toward international audiences, where they tend to fare better at the box office.
"Now that we’ve redesigned that foundation of the mythology, there are many places to go. There are phenomenal G.I. Joecharacters who we can bring to life, we’re all talking about it now, and certainly [thinking about] using the 3D platform in even better ways for the next one, so, I’m very excited about that,” Johnson told Collider in 2013.
Jon Chu will reportedly return to direct the third movie, and it'll be filmed in 3D. Its release date has been loosely scheduled for 2018.
