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Max Landis just landed a major deal at Paramount to write a G.I. Joe script, marking his shocking return to Hollywood after 7 years away. The screenwriter, canceled during the #MeToo movement in 2019, is back at a major studio negotiating table. Discover what prompted this controversial comeback.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Deal Status: Landis tapped to write G.I. Joe treatment for Paramount Pictures in early development
- Timeline: First major Hollywood project since 2019 career collapse following multiple allegations
- Competition: Danny McBride also writing separate G.I. Joe script; both could be blended later
- Historic Precedent: Rare dual-script development echoes Warner Bros. Tarzan and Universal Mummy reboot strategy
The Controversial Comeback Nobody Expected
Max Landis has not worked on a major studio project since his 2019 implosion. Multiple women accused the screenwriter of sexual and emotional abuse, reaching a crescendo with a Daily Beast exposé that year. Agencies CAA and Writ Large dropped him immediately, and projects withered on the vine.
Three years ago, Landis released a YouTube video acknowledging “serious mistakes” in relationships and calling himself a “toxic partner.” No criminal charges were ever filed. Now, David Ellison’s Paramount has decided his screenwriting talent outweighs the controversy. If greenlit, the project marks a major studio return for the disgraced writer.
Max Landis returns to Hollywood, lands G.I. Joe script deal at Paramount
Demi Moore stuns with dramatic bob at Gucci Milan show
Why Paramount Took This Risk in 2026
Studio sources emphasize this is an early treatment phase, meaning decisions come only after scripts arrive. Paramount is following a dual-script strategy that mirrors Warner Bros. and Universal franchise approaches from the 2010s. The studio wants competing creative visions for the Hasbro toy franchise.
Danny McBride, known for HBO’s Righteous Gemstones, gets his own separate script track. Sources say Paramount will attempt to blend both scripts once submitted, though the studio maintains they’re separate projects. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura oversees the Joe films.
Landis’s Pre-Cancellation Track Record
Max Landis built a pre-2019 reputation as a hot screenwriter with viral takes on superheroes. His 2012 debut Chronicle starred Michael B. Jordan and became a sleeper hit. Bright, his Netflix original with Will Smith and Joel Edgerton, became one of the platform’s early successes.
| Project | Year | Status |
| Chronicle | 2012 | Breakout success with Michael B. Jordan |
| Bright | 2017 | Netflix hit with Will Smith |
| G.I. Joe Reboot | 2026 | In early treatment development |
| Years Away | 2019-2026 | Seven-year gap from major studio work |
He also penned a viral Superman script and DC comic mini-series, proving he understood superhero storytelling. But his post-2019 work stayed online, including dark YouTube monologues like “The Deposition of Barry Allen.”
“I’m not one of the psychos. I’m just a genius.”
— Max Landis, quoted in YouTube video as fictional character Barry Allen
Paramount’s History of Controversial Hires
David Ellison’s operations, starting with Skydance and now Paramount, have repeatedly hired “distressed human assets.” John Lasseter, former Pixar head, joined Skydance animation after admitting workplace “missteps.” More recently, Paramount greenlit Rush Hour 4, marking disgraced director Brett Ratner’s big studio return after 2017 misconduct accusations.
The Ellison-led studio treats major franchises as opportunities to work with proven talent regardless of past controversies. Industry observers note this pattern reflects a calculated business decision. Talent, the studio signals, can be rehabilitated with proper distance and proven reformed behavior.
What Happens Next, and Can This Actually Work?
Both Landis and McBride submitted treatments remain unseen. Script quality will determine if either projects gets greenlit. Paramount‘s dual-track approach essentially pit-tests both creative visions before committing production dollars. Industry precedent suggests one script typically wins, though Transformers and Star Trek previously developed multiple versions simultaneously.
The real question: will audiences accept a Max Landis screenplay? Hollywood has shown it forgives controversies when box office potential aligns with redemption narratives. Whether the G.I. Joe reboot becomes Landis’s comeback vehicle or just another stalled franchise project depends entirely on script quality and studio faith post-treatment review.
Sources
- Variety – G.I. Joe reboots in works at Paramount with Max Landis and Danny McBride pitching separate scripts
- The Hollywood Reporter – Exclusive report on Landis’s first major studio project since 2019 career collapse during #MeToo
- Deadline – Two different G.I. Joe movies in early development at Paramount between McBride and Landis
