Robocop Returns

[neorev]

Neill Blomkamp to Direct RoboCop Returns for MGM!



Unlike the previous RoboCop remake from 2014, the new film will be a direct sequel to the original based on an unused RoboCop 2 screenplay by original writers Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner, with rewrites by Justin Rhodes.

"The original definitely had a massive effect on me as a kid,” Blomkamp stated. “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.”

“Verhoeven felt at the time that making one would be de classe and he wasn’t interested in the politics of a sequel,” Neumeier said of why their RoboCop 2 never happened. “Then, the writers strike came along in 1988 and we were force majeured off the project. They brought in Frank Miller on a waiver. He wrote a draft and then another with Walon Green, and it got made by Irvin Kershner, who directed ‘The Empire Strikes Back.’ I went off and did ‘Starship Troopers’ with Paul.Right when Trump was about to be elected president, [MGM president Jon Glickman] called me and said, ‘Did you actually predict in your sequel script that a reality star would run for president and win?’ We had. So Mike and I wrote a draft and gave one interview in Barbados and I think the only person who read it was Neill Blomkamp, and that set this in motion.”

http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/new...eturns-for-mgm

[hellospaceboy]

That sounds fun, although I wish RoboCop 2 was still canon...

[ziltoid]

Yeah, I saw a FB post about it earlier today. I'm excited that this is getting made.
This sounds familiar, wasn't there a comic series that was made and based on the unreleased screenplay of Robocop 3?
I wonder if they might work that into a sequel if Robocop Returns (I hope this is a working title and not the final name) is well made.

[henryeatscereal]

I'm up for it, i guess it was the logical step after the Remake flopped

[Haysey_Draws]

...well if it's in the same vain as the original (which IMO is freaking awesome, one of my all time fav movies) it could be great. Working in the fantastic blend of action, gore and black comedy could work fantastically well in this current climate...it could also fall very flat.

I'm optimistic, but not yet hyped, cautious more like.

[jmtd]

We'll see, I guess. Some of Blomkamp's work reminds me of Verhoeven's and I think he get's it when it comes to what makes the classics great; I'm not sure it's always made it all the way to the screen. Although Chappie wasn't as bad as reviewers said imho. I'm not invested in this, I'll enjoy it if it's good, let's hope they can surprise the cynics.

[wizfan]

Are they jealous of the upcoming Terminator (which is also a direct sequel to T2)?

[aggroculture]

I like Blomkamp: Elysium was shit, but Chappie was good, I wish it could be a trilogy.

[neorev]

Are they jealous of the upcoming Terminator (which is also a direct sequel to T2)?

Perhaps we'll get a RoboCop versus Terminator movie after these

[BRoswell]

Honestly, I'm getting tired of these sequels that supposedly go back to the original films. Nostalgia is leading these projects more than anything else, and while I can respect the idea of going "back to the basics", I would rather move forward than look back so much.

That said, we'll see how they turn out. There's some decent talent behind them at least.

[Conan The Barbarian]

Perhaps we'll get a RoboCop versus Terminator movie after these

That never had crossed my mind until you put it in there. I now want this. Going to go play the game now.

[neorev]

Honestly, I'm getting tired of these sequels that supposedly go back to the original films. Nostalgia is leading these projects more than anything else, and while I can respect the idea of going "back to the basics", I would rather move forward than look back so much.

That said, we'll see how they turn out. There's some decent talent behind them at least.

Yeah, personally I hated Blomkamp's Alien sequel idea that negated the third movie as I am a huge fan of the third one.

But hey, can we make a new Matrix that negates the second and third ones? :P

[onthewall2983]

Yeah, personally I hated Blomkamp's Alien sequel idea that negated the third movie as I am a huge fan of the third one.

Not to derail this, but it would make a little sense that the events of the third film could have just been the content of one of Ripley's nightmares since she suffers from them in two separate scenes in Aliens.

It'd be awful if he somehow applies this logic to this project though.

[sonic_discord]

So, Neill Blomkamp (director of District 9, Elysium, Chappie) will be making a new sequel (titled Robocop Returns) that's based on a script conceived by the film's original screenwriters back in 1988. He apparently wants to bring Peter Weller back to role, too. Sounds promising and he wants to keep it as faithful to the Paul Verhoeven original as possible. Then again, maybe take this with a grain of salt because he was also supposed to make that very promising looking Aliens sequel that he posted concept artwork of and we all know how that turned out (Thanks Ridley Scott). Interesting how so many franchises are coming out with sequels that ignore some of the previous entries' continuity (the new Halloween, the forthcoming Terminator movie, the aforementioned abandoned Aliens sequel, Superman Returns...)

Deadline article from July
HN Entertainment interview with producer Ed Neumeier
SuperHeroHype article

[SM Rollinger]

Hope this sees the light!!

Unlike Alien 5

[neorev]

I hated the idea of Alien 5 as I am a huge fan of Alien 3: Assembly Cut and think it is the best Alien movie. But this, I can get behind.

[Haysey_Draws]

If they can keep the style of the original...i'm in!

[Jinsai]

I will only see this reboot if Robocop is gendrfluid and Muslim.

Otherwise, fuck off with cynically rebooting my nostalgia before I no longer could be perceived to be part of a dwindling market demographic. Come up with a new fucking idea already. Seriously, was it such a novel and original concept to begin with - that a cop became a cyborg? If you wanna shrewdly target me at this point, just cut to the fucking chase and pretend to take the stuff I gave a shit about as a child and transform it into some bastardized thing that pretends to be about what I care about as an adult, no matter how preposterously it misses the mark.

[sonic_discord]

I will only see this reboot if Robocop is gendrfluid and Muslim.

Otherwise, fuck off with cynically rebooting my nostalgia before I no longer could be perceived to be part of a dwindling market demographic. Come up with a new fucking idea already. Seriously, was it such a novel and original concept to begin with - that a cop became a cyborg? If you wanna shrewdly target me at this point, just cut to the fucking chase and pretend to take the stuff I gave a shit about as a child and transform it into some bastardized thing that pretends to be about what I care about as an adult, no matter how preposterously it misses the mark.

I understand your aversion to and weariness of reboots that seem to be only trying to cash in on our nostalgia (it's happening with damn near everything, after all – Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters, Star Trek, James Bond, Terminator...), but this particular project appears to be a well-intended labor of love rather than a nostalgia-mining cash-grab. And the fact that it'll be based on a script written by the writers of the original film a mere two years after the original came out is very promising to me and speaks to the filmmakers' honest good intentions rather than greedy ulterior motives. Besides, the original was more about political satire and social commentary than a cop who becomes a cyborg – that's just the wrapper it was delivered in.

My favorite comment that I've seen regarding this movie:

I'm not sure a reboot can work for modern times. The original RoboCop was all about the problems of that very specific cultural moment: corporate greed run amok, invasive advertising, economic inequality, unions stressed to their breaking points, the consequences of terrible leadership, people being cruel to each other...


Actually, they'll be fine.

[october_midnight]

Well there that goes.

Blomkamp drops out of Robocop Returns.

[poinoup]

Sigh... this is why we can't have nice things.

[october_midnight]

Movie is apparently back on track with Abe Forsythe directing.

[Conan The Barbarian]

Love me some robocop and love me some Monster Squad. I hope this movie is 80's as fuck.

[Haysey_Draws]

I'm getting less worried by each new director and more worried by everyone and their dog having a "crack" and the script