Jon Chu Clears Up Speculation - Cobra Commander In Retaliation IS Rex Lewis

Russ Sheath of Ain't It Cool News has an interview with John Chu and he settles the debate. Rex Lewis is still Cobra Commander.


RS: Can you shed some light on the much discussed ‘Cobra Commander Conundrum’ - which admittedly sounds like an episode of The Big Bang Theory? Is that Rex who end up wearing the Cobra Commander suit, in the movie?

JC: I don’t know where all this crazy, speculative stuff came from. We were asked the question, Lorenzo [di Bonaventura, Producer) and I at Toy Fair...

‘Is that the same actor’?

I was like...

‘No, its not the same actor’.

‘Is that Joseph Gordon Levitt?’

‘No, it is not!’

But it is Rex!

We are continuing that story, there is no other Cobra Commander. We can put that rumor to rest. I was waiting for this moment to finally clarify, I’m glad you asked that.


It's official: Different actor, but same character.

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depressing

Nice! while I'm not that big a fan of ROC, I'm glad they are attempting to bridge the gap between the 2 movies some.
I still miss scarlett though.

I'm glad for this.

I wouldn't have been heartbroken if they went the other way, but I think sticking with the Rex Lewis character is the best option of those speculated on.

Well, that makes things less confusing, I suppose. Somehow I doubt his "real name" or history is even going to be referenced in the movie, though.

And if the death-rumors about Duke are true, that effectively cuts off that much-despised subplot (Rex/Duke/Anna).

Well, when life gives you lemons...

I too am glad they are trying to bridge the gap between the movies. They were handed a difficult task.

Well, that's alright with me, but it's not as interesting as I had hoped it would be.

As long as we find out that Rex is a snake-man creature from an underground society I'm fine with it.


Also spoiler alert!

What's up with the bright blue? Makes it a little hard to read. You could just put the interview question and answer in italics.

I don't understand...was the last quote where Chu said they were different characters made up??

Agreed 100%. This actually works well...they can hit the ground running in Retaliation with Cobra Commander without the lame RoC baggage slowing him down.

I actually found Rex one of the better characters in RoC, by far. I actually liked him as The Doctor/Cobra Commander...it was just the fucking stupid wig/scuba gear/goldfish bowl bullshit that I hated. Now that he's wearing the old-school helmet I'm cool with this development.

It copied that way from AICN. Fixed to orange.

Much better! Thanks!

Thank god for that, and I guessed (hoped) as much a while back: Same character, diferent characterisation.

Dumping the Rex character 'right out of the tank' would have been a bit of an insult to the intelligence of the audience, especially those who'd seen both films: "Hey, this guy dreamed up this complex machiavellian plot to trick his boss into creating a terrorist organisation and replacing the US President, then some no-mark waltzes in, offs him and takes over"

Still pi$$ed over the rumour that SPOILER ALERT....




Duke dies and the Joes from the first film don't get a single mention.

I dunno i think its an insult to anyone who did not like ROC...we dont need him to be Rex Lewis...hes is COBRA COMMANDER and that is all we need to know...thats the lamest name of all time...and this whole business if having to watch facebook, twitter, online movies etc to start and end a story? I Wanna go to THE TEATHRE to see the movie...not play games, read books, play on various spyware infected websites ot get the full story...f'that....I htink most of Hollywood has gone down the drain atthis point,...not only did GI JOE die in the 80s....so did movie making apparnetly...

Yeah, they dont need to pay JGL if we arent going to see his face. They can use anyone they want.

meh as long as they don't bring up anything about Cobra Commanders past i'll be ok with it.

I'm not surprised, since we are picking up with Zartan as president.

I think it's funny that this was already confirmed earlier today in the Amazon 4 pack photos that showed Cobra Commanders file card and his real name of "Rex Lewis".

I treat retaliation like a new writer in comics. They keep what they like, build on some things but instead of focusing on the previous story they tell their own.

I knew people were reading too much into those earlier remarks. It would make NO sense for there to suddenly be some new Cobra Commander.

Would have been cool if Joseph Gordon Levitt was still playing CC.

I NEVER GOT A JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT ACTION FIGURE DAMMIT!

Well were still getting a new CC regardless...new look (right look compared to ROC WRONG look)...new inside base actor...new voice...just the same name..I guess I am going to have to treat it like Coca Cola before they took out the good ingredients to todays coca cola...I dont like todays coke at all but it still has the coke name on it, or OJ Simpson the real Jucie football player before...before the sports parafanlia scandal and the LA highway chase scenes /shrug...hes still the juice AMIRITE!

As others have said, this IS still a sequel, and elements from the first movie needed to be there. I liked the Rex Lewis character in ROC, it was a nice twist. However, CC being Rex doesn't change the fact that he has a new voice, new costume, and like Chu said, he's a badass villain, and he's everything we always wanted him to be. And it also leaves more room for action and less backstory, unlike ROC.

Well, whatever. I too think they'll leave all the Rex stuff more or less unsaid.

I'm fine with "Rex" still be the Commander.
My only concern is if, The Baroness (character) is ever used in a future movie, how would they work her back in w/o the whole brother and sister scenario that we all hated. YOJOE.COM | Filecard Gallery - Chameleon this could work for me.

Honestly, I was terrified that they were going to make Destro the new CC. I'm fine with this.

Well I was a big fan of ROC since I first saw it so that's fine with me

I'm OK with this too. Like someone else said, this makes the most sense. And maybe this means we'll see more of Dr. Mindbender somewhere down the road.

this news makes sense. i was more dissapointed in what they did with baroness. the only part that really sucked about the rex cc was that god awful mask/costume.

I'm such a nerd. I read about this cobra special forces stuff and it makes me want to dress up in my bluesuit and hand out pro cobra propaganda, help elderly across the street, stuff like that. Would love to be part of some kind of viral street team promotions.

It couldn't suck worse. My wife will be happy, she loved the first ROC. I'm okay with this.

It would have been more interesting if it was a different Commander.

killing duke=bad idea sort of ruins the movie for me

It takes steel balls to get rid of him..and i am glad they may be doing it...next we need to get rid of Snake Eyes, once Storm Shadow becomes a Joe we wont need him since the Rock + Storm Shadow will be a better duo.

Absolutely agree. And I love Tatum as Duke. I think we might see him get blown up in a Hummer or something during the attack and presumed dead and in the end, they will find him alive or he will somehow return in the final big battle. Would love to see him look like he was killed and then in the end, he takes off a Cobra troop helmet and reveals Duke was working covertly.

I knew this was the case. The storyline as we know if so far (which isn't much) wouldn't have made a lick of sense if it wasn't the same Cobra Commander from the first film.

As long as they don't mention his name, his backstory, that awful subplot with his sister (WTF?), I don't care if CC is actually Richard Simmons.

In other news, I predict a certain theater or two in New Orleans will erupt in cheers on opening night (Joe Con) when Duke gets blown to bits.

I don't care either way, I just like the new look of CC in this movie, so that's good enough me.

how come everyone wants Duke to live now? Before everyone wanted him dead, now its just complaint after complaint about him.

I'll understand if he is your favorite character, shit if they killed off Snake Eyes id be paying a visit to Mr. Chu lol

Everyone hated tatum in the first movie (i thought he was ok, but dont mind see him going away for good) and now that there is a chance to kill him off and let him get out of the joe universe everyone cant bear to let him go lol..

What if they pull a Baroness on Duke - convert him to Cobra with nanomites? Would that be any better?

No that would be worse then killing him off lol...please put nanomites in their place (in the trash) as you leave the theatre...thanks Management...

I'm still thinking Duke doesn't die, but perhaps turns sides. Duke the all American, now Cobra's greatest agent.

Way to ruin the surprise with the thread title. Thanks a lot for that.

Aw, you don't mean that Captainsoap64. Relax, and come chat some more.

So Duke's not at home playing nanny to Roadblock's kids while the rest of the team is out doing manly stuff?

They already did that.


Wait... that's not what you meant...

From the trailers, I am pretty sure nanomites are still being used.

Yeah. Cobra Commander could be Cybil Shepherd for all I care... as long as that cool mask stays on.

best news i've heard from the movie yet!!