Directed by Jon M. Chu and written by the writing team of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, the film features an ensemble cast with Lee Byung-hun, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, Channing Tatum, and Arnold Vosloo reprising their roles from the previous film, while Luke Bracey and Robert Baker take over the role of Cobra Commander, replacing Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and D. J. Cotrona, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Stevenson, Bruce Willis, and Dwayne Johnson round out the principal cast.

Originally slated for release in June 2012, the film was delayed in order to convert to 3D and boost interest in international markets.

Deeming them as traitors for causing an international incident, Zartan, still impersonating the president of the United States, calls an airstrike that kills Duke and many Joes.

Heavy machine gunner Roadblock, sniper Flint, and covert operator Lady Jaye survive the attack by diving into a well, and they return to the United States to contact General Joseph Colton, who provides them with weapons.

Meanwhile, Storm Shadow, who survived the Arctic base's destruction,[a] and demolitions expert Firefly rescue Cobra Commander from an underground maximum-security prison in Germany, leaving Destro behind.

Exonerated, Storm Shadow accompanies Snake Eyes and Jinx, his cousin, as they join the Joes' efforts to stop Cobra and avenge the Hard Master.

All the world leaders activate the self-destruct for their nuclear arsenals, removing the justification for the retaliation strikes and goads to save the Earth.

Zartan proclaims this a nuclear free world and unveils Project Zeus, orbital kinetic bombardment weapons he designed for Cobra.

To prove his superiority, he destroys Central London and activates the remaining weapons, offering to disarm them if the leaders submit to Cobra.

At the White House ceremony, the real President addresses the nation and commemorates the Joes, who were awarded by Colton: Roadblock, Snake Eyes, Jinx, Flint, and Lady Jaye.

After the financially successful release of The Rise of Cobra, Rob Moore, the studio vice chairman of Paramount Pictures, stated in 2009 that a sequel would be developed.

Rachel Nichols, the actress who played Scarlett in the first film, stated that most cast members would not be returning, except for the three aforementioned actors.

[30] In August 2011, Walton Goggins was added as Warden Nigel James,[31] and it was confirmed that Bruce Willis was cast to star in the film as the original G.I.

[33] In September, a casting call sheet leaked to the Internet revealed that Cobra Commander would appear in the sequel, though it was unknown who would play the character.

"[41] The major part of the effects was given to Digital Domain, which for 227 effects created digital vehicles and aircraft that had to "look fantastic but which are also plausible", given they had to match practical models, the Zeus satellite and a sequence where Zartan shows his nanomite-related disguise to the president—done with the same head replacement software developed for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Tron: Legacy.

[54] Despite the movie's release being moved from June 2012 to March 2013, the initial assortments of figures, vehicles, and role-play items were shipped to retailers, and appeared on store shelves in May 2012.

A Variety article was published stating that the already released figures had been pulled from the shelves and recalled by Hasbro,[55] although the company's official statement indicated that existing product would be sold through.

New product shipments were halted by Hasbro, but existing Retaliation figures were available in Target, Wal-Mart, and Toys R Us as late as December 2012.

[58] A Blu-ray "Extended Action Cut" added 12 minutes of footage and uncensored violence was also available, with the United States version being a Best Buy exclusive.

"[67] The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy was critical about the film's use of 3D and accurate reflection of the franchise's comic book and cartoon origins, but predicted it would still earn better than its predecessor, G.I.

[68] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a grade of "B−", calling it "well-executed technocratic action fluff" and commented: "In its dehumanized and trivial way, it's a triumph of razor-sharp, hyper-violent style over formulaic substance ... Hollywood has now evolved to the point that it can deliver these kinds of thrills with maximum brute force and keep the impact so light that the result can still be regarded as a 'harmless' diversion for 14-year-olds.

"[69] Glen Heath Jr. of Slant Magazine gave it two out of four stars, criticizing the film's "cut-happy style" and plot, but lauding the action sequences and Chu's direction as "poetry in high-speed motion.

"[71] Another negative review came from Variety magazine's Justin Chang, who ridiculed the movie's large-scale destruction of foreign cities, writing: "Audiences who thrilled to the sight of Paris under biochemical attack in Cobra will be pleased to watch London endure an even more horrific fate here, although the sequence is tossed off in quick, almost ho-hum fashion, with no time to dwell on anything so exquisitely crass as the spectacle of the Eiffel Tower collapsing."

"[73] Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times gave the movie 1.5 stars out of a possible four, branding it a "ridiculous and overblown debacle" that contained "nothing but well-packaged garbage" and further adding: "To say 'G.I.

[91] Bonaventura told Beijing News that he hoped that Johnson and Willis would return, the script is still in the writing stage, and that they are considering adding a third important role.

[98] The following month, Variety reported that Jonathan Lemkin will write the script for the film and will focus on Roadblock with Johnson returning.

[99] February of the following year, Film Divider reported that the twins Tomax and Xamot and Matt Trakker from the TV series M.A.S.K.

[103] In September 2016, Byung-Hun Lee told LRM Review that the studio doing the third film is waiting on the actors to return, including Johnson.

Joe: Ever Vigilant with Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec writing the film's script and that the studio are hoping to have Johnson sign on to reprise the role of Roadblock.

The plot will reportedly feature his character assembling a new team of Joes with Dania Janack, Dr. Adele Burkhart, Wild Bill, Barbecue, General Flagg, Doc, and Keel-Haul joining forces to stop Tomax and Xamot Paoli from launching a dark matter WMD.