Well, this is a little out of left field, right? Yes, as the headline suggests, a new RoboCop movie is on the way.

Courtesy of Deadline, MGM is at work on a new picture titled RoboCop Returns. Added to that, they’ve brought in District 9 director Neill Blomkamp to direct.

Interestingly, the film will serve as a direct sequel to Paul Verhoeven’s original 1987 RoboCop. The film will be based on an unused RoboCop 2 screenplay from Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner, with Justin Rhodes reworking that script.

The early, brief word on RoboCop Returns reads:

Anarchy reigns and the fate of Detroit hangs in the balance as RoboCop makes his triumphant return to fight crime and corruption.

On this news, Blomkamp himself has gone on record, saying, “The original definitely had a massive effect on me as a kid. I loved it then and it remains a classic in the end of 20th Century sci-fi catalog, with real meaning under the surface. Hopefully that is something we can get closer to in making of a sequel. That is my goal here. What I connected to as a kid has evolved over time. At first, the consumerism, materialism and Reaganomics, that ’80s theme of America on steroids, came through most strongly. But As I’ve gotten older, the part that really resonated with me is identity, and the search for identity. As long as the human component is there, a good story can work in any time period, it’s not locked into a specific place in history. What’s so cool about ‘RoboCop’ is that like good westerns, sci-fi films and dramas, the human connection is really important to a story well told. What draws me now is someone searching for their lost identity, taken away at the hands of people who are benefiting from it, and seeing his memory jogged by events. That is most captivating. The other thing I am excited by is the chance to work again with Justin Rhodes. He has added elements that are pretty awesome, to a sequel that was set in the world of Verhoeven. This is a movie I would love to watch.”

As ever, expect more on RoboCop Returns as we get it.

Recommended Posts