The planned live-action crossover between Transformers and G.I. Joe is no longer moving forward at Paramount, ending a project that had been in development since the two franchises were first connected on screen in 2023.

The crossover was set up at the end of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, when Noah Diaz, played by Anthony Ramos, was approached by Agent Burke, portrayed by Michael Kelly. Burke was revealed to be recruiting Noah for the G.I. Joe organization, establishing a potential connection between the two Hasbro properties.

The project was later expected to feature Chris Hemsworth as Duke, the iconic G.I. Joe character. Hemsworth had already been connected to the Transformers franchise after voicing Orion Pax, the character who becomes Optimus Prime, in the 2024 animated film Transformers One.

Those plans have now been scrapped as Paramount moves forward with a separate G.I. Joe movie directed by Danny McBride. Bradley Cooper has reportedly been cast as Duke in that project, which is being developed independently of the canceled crossover.

The decision represents another setback for the Transformers movie franchise, which has struggled to regain the massive box-office success it achieved during the height of Michael Bay's run. Bay directed five installments, with 2017's Transformers: The Last Knight becoming a significant disappointment compared with earlier entries.

The franchise subsequently produced Bumblebee, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and Transformers One, but none matched the billion-dollar global box-office performances that once became common for the live-action series.

Despite the cancellation, Transformers and G.I. Joe have a long history of crossing over in other forms. Both properties are owned by Hasbro and have frequently shared stories in comic books, including a Marvel crossover series that began in 1987.

The franchises are also central to Skybound's current Energon Universe, which has connected Transformers and G.I. Joe with other Hasbro properties. The comic-book universe has become a major success and is also being developed for an animated adaptation.

For now, however, fans will have to wait for the two franchises to collide on the big screen. The previously announced live-action crossover is no longer in development at Paramount, while the separate G.I. Joe reboot continues to move ahead.