Henry Golding talks ‘Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins’ before theatrical release
The Japanese government helped the makers of “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins,” ensuring that the film’s producers had access to spectacular locations for the newest film based on Hasbro’s “G.I. Joe” action figure line.
“We needed 100 percent to be there because the Arashikage plays a huge role in this movie,” said Henry Golding, who stars as the film’s title character. “They’ve been a clan in Japan for over 1,000 years. So, to do that justice, we needed to be on the ground over there, and we were so lucky that we had help from the Japanese government.”
The film tells the story of one of the series’ most iconic characters, Snake Eyes, who is recruited by the Arashikage ninja clan. He goes from friends to archenemies with fellow warrior Storm Shadow and is forced to confront secrets from his past.
It is the third installment in the G.I. Joe film series, and will serve as an origin story for the deadly assassin.
“He’s very mysterious. I like to think everybody has their own little secrets here and there, Golding shared. “He’s a guy that in some respects is very honest with not only himself with people around him.”
After reports of a failed attempt at a “Hasbro Cinematic Universe” combining other properties such as “Transformers,” Snake Eyes provides a prequel-reboot that refocuses the series and sets up the announced follow-up film
“G.I. Joe: Ever Vigilant.”
“There’s a lot of history, not only in the cinemas of the previous two movies, but of the cartoons, the comics, the action toys,” Gilding said. “This is a stepping stone into a brand new franchise for G.I. Joe, a new universe.”
Directed by Robert Schwentke, the film stars Golding, who shot to fame in hit film “Crazy Rich Asians,” alongside Andrew Koji, Samara Weaving and Úrsula Corberó.
Koji will star as Thomas “Tommy” Arashikage aka Storm Shadow, the heir of the Arashikage and Snake Eyes’ friend, who will eventually become his archenemy. Corberó plays the Baroness: An elite operative for Cobra, a terrorist organization. Meanwhile, Weaving plays Scarlett: An agent of both G.I. Joe and Clan Arashikage.