In the mythology of G.I. Joe, the hyperlink between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow is dense and sophisticated. The two fought collectively, educated collectively, and have become as shut as brothers—solely to finally flip into bitter rivals. That relationship carries over not simply into the brand new film, Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, however its actors. Though their previous has decidedly fewer samurai swords and killing.

Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians, Last Christmas), who performs Snake Eyes, and Andrew Koji (Warrior), who performs Tommy (aka Storm Shadow), didn’t meet till they have been solid in Snake Eyes. But the 2 grew up in the identical space of England and are roughly the identical age. “We’re both from Surrey,” Koji informed io9 over video. “We’re Surrey boys.” Golding explains that Koji went to the identical faculty most of his buddies went to, which was additionally proper subsequent to the place he grew up. “Two half Asian kids growing up in that area, to not have met and only to meet halfway across the world on this amazing sort of production was something really special,” Golding mentioned. “And so our bond was naturally there from the beginning.” Koji added, “And I think some of that has probably gone into the film.”

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins takes place in a world the place the well-known teams G.I. Joe and Cobra exist, however they’re not the main focus of the story. The focus is on a younger man (Golding) who’s on the hunt for vengeance after the homicide of his father. He saves the lifetime of Tommy (Koji), and the 2 type a bond and journey again to Japan to coach with Tommy’s household, the legendary clan referred to as the Arashikage. However, not all is because it appears as each of the lads are carrying secrets and techniques. “We are taking it out of the traditional kind of tropes of being a hero and making it as layered as possible.” Golding mentioned of the movie. This means no less than in the beginning, the heroic G.I. Joe Snake Eyes you realize from motion figures, cartoons, and comics received’t be there but, and neither would be the villainous Cobra agent Storm Shadow. But every is working in the direction of it.

“In the beginning, Snake Eyes is kind of this very mislead kind of youth. He’s had a very traumatic past and his main goal and only purpose at that point in life is vengeance … In doing that, we realize later, he has had no code of honor,” Golding mentioned of his character. “A code of honor really implies that you have sacrificed yourself to a greater good … and something like honor only comes with family. That’s what he finds with the Arashikage. So once he finds that honor within himself, he becomes the Snake Eyes that we all know and love. That journey and that story arc, I think, was really subtle yet very important.”

Directed by Robert Schwentke (Red)—from a screenplay by Evan Spiliotopoulos, Joe Shrapnel, and Anna Waterhouse—Snake Eyes was shot partially on location in Japan with a predominately Asian solid. More so than even its story of honor, betrayal, and motion figures turned to life, that’s what Koji believes resonates with the movie. “All I wanted, really at the end of the day, was for the kids that watch this film and the fans [to be pleased],” Koji mentioned. “I didn’t have a character or big film like this when I was growing up that I could see, [so] I want [the kids] to feel seen and heard and for them to feel empowered.”

Much as Koji hopes the movie empowers followers, the followers conversely have the ability to see extra of G.I. Joe. It’s not stunning to say the movie ends in a spot the place the tales of Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, in addition to G.I. Joe and Cobra, might proceed in additional motion pictures if this one is a success with audiences. And if that occurs, every actor has very particular ideas on what they’d love to do subsequent.

“I really want to see a bigger world,” Golding mentioned. “We are very much in this microcosm of a corner of the Arashikage and Japan. But of course, the reaches of Cobra are far-reaching beyond that of where we are in this particular film. I love the world of sort of espionage, and I think G.I. Joe and this world it has that aspect. I would love something in that realm of having to kind of infiltrate … I want to see him, with the right motivations, infiltrate somewhere else. And of course, I want him to get hold the weaponry which makes him sort of iconic.” Koji agrees. “I’d love to see him in more the Cobra look [where] he’s got a hooded look and his bow and arrow,” he mentioned. “And I love to see him with these different weapons that he’s a master of. I’d love to see more of the Arashikage techniques. And obviously, it would be really cool to explore the psychology.”

Plus, that is Hollywood. At the identical time Paramount and Hasbro are rebooting G.I. Joe with Snake Eyes, the businesses are additionally working collectively on a brand new tackle Transformers referred to as Rise of the Beasts. Could the businesses make Snake Eyes and Optimus Prime crew up? “Snake Eyes on the shoulder of Optimus Prime is something that I grew up imagining with the comic books and all that jazz,” Golding mentioned. “That would be phenomenal.”

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins opens in theaters on July 23.

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