G.I. JOE 2 (cast news)

• THE PUNISHER WILL TAKE ON THE JOE'S

Ray Stevenson is the latest name to board Paramount Pictures' upcoming Untitled G.I. Joe Sequel, says a story at The Hollywood Reporter. He will play the film's central villian, a COBRA operative nicknamed Firefly.

Ray Stevenson as the Punisher

The film, to be directed by John Chu (Step Up 3D, Never Say Never), will continue the toy-inspired world depicted in 2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra with a primarily new cast (except for the returning Channing Tatum as Duke, Ray Park as Snake Eyes and, likely, Byung Hun-lee as Stormshadow). Newcomers include Dwayne Johnson as Roadblock, Elodie Yung as Jinx, DJ Cotrona as Flint, Adrianne Palicki as Lady Jaye and RZA as The Blind Master.

Stevenson most recently appeared as Volstagg in Thor and previously visited the Marvel Universe with Punisher: War Zone. Coming up, he'll play Porthos in Paul W.S. Anderson's The Three Musketeers.

Untitled G.I. Joe Sequel is headed into production very soon with an eye towards a summer 2012 release.