Channing Tatum to Play "Duke" in G.I. Joe?
January 28, 2008

As casting ramps up on Stephen Sommers' upcoming live-action G.I. Joe, it appears young actor Channing Tatum will soon be playing "Duke" in the toy-to-cartoon-to-film action project, according to Ain't it Cool News. Although Tatum's casting in the Paramount pic hasn't been officially confirmed, AICN reports that an official announcement will soon be coming down the pike. The news surrounding Channing Tatum as a potential contender for the role of Duke comes fresh on the heels of Tatum's recent casting in director Michael Mann's Public Enemies and following an earlier report by Latino Review, which first hinted that Tatum was in the running as a top contender for the role of Duke.

Channing Tatum's star has been steadily on the rise in recent years, having appeared in such films as Havoc, She's the Man, and Step Up. Tatum was also scheduled to play Hugh Thompson is director Oliver Stone's Pinkville about the 1968 My Lai Massacre, but the project was recently put on hold due to the ongoing writers' strike.

If the news proves true, Tatum would join the cast of G.I. Joe, which recently tapped actor Marlon Wayons for the role of Ripcord. G.I. Joe is slated to hit theaters on August 7, 2009.