Ever since he charmed the pants off the entire world as the romantic lead in Crazy Rich Asians (and followed that up with charismatic turns in A Simple Favor, Last Christmas, and the soulful, underseen Monsoon), Henry Golding has announced himself as a major new movie star. And if his name currently gets brought up in conversations around who could be the next James Bond, he has another franchise he’s tackling first – taking on the mantle of the G.I. Joe-affiliated Snake Eyes.
The character has previously appeared in 2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra and its 2013 sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation, portrayed by Ray ‘Darth Maul’ Park, and now the character is front and centre in Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins – telling the backstory behind the ninja warrior. Check out the first trailer:
Here’s your official synopsis: “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins stars Henry Golding as Snake Eyes, a tenacious loner who is welcomed into an ancient Japanese clan called the Arashikage after saving the life of their heir apparent. Upon arrival in Japan, the Arashikage teach Snake Eyes the ways of the ninja warrior while also providing something he’s been longing for: a home. But, when secrets from his past are revealed, Snake Eyes’ honor and allegiance will be tested – even if that means losing the trust of those closest to him.”
The film is directed by RED’s Robert Schwentke, and among the cast is The Raid icon Iko Uwais as Hard Master, and rising star Samara Weaving as Scarlett. The film is currently expected to arrive in UK cinemas on 20 August, but American fans will see it earlier than that when Snake Eyes strikes on 23 July.