We already knew that RoboCop was getting a reboot starring Joel Kinnaman, but thanks to a new press release, we now have some details about the plot. The original Paul Verhoeven film, released in 1987, starred Peter Weller as a cybernetically enhanced super-cop who served swift justice in Detroit.
The new version retains the same city and the core of the story but adds new elements. RoboCop, directed by Jose Padilha and starring Gary Oldman, Hugh Laurie, Abbie Cornish, and Samuel L. Jackson, will be released on August 9th, 2013. The full press release is available after the jump.
RoboCop Returns has been in the works for quite some time. Neill Blomkamp, the writer/director of District 9, had been attached to a new RoboCop film for quite some time. The sci-fi filmmaker has been involved in other major franchises such as Alien, but none of these films have ever come to fruition. Blomkamp was announced as the sequel’s director in July 2018, but he had to leave the project in August 2019.
RoboCop Returns appeared to be dying on the vine shortly after this announcement. The project was saved, however, when Little Monsters director Abe Forsythe joined the project. While Blomkamp was still the director, the project’s screenwriter was Justin Rhodes (Terminator: Dark Fate). When a director changes, it is customary for the new director to review the script and decide whether to make changes or start over.
When Will You Be Able to See Robocop Return?
At the moment, no release date for RoboCop Returns has been announced. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has likely set the film back significantly. Most productions are being halted, and those that are restarting are encountering difficulties.
Assuming that nothing enters production until later in 2021 at the earliest, we may not see RoboCop Returns until 2022. Even that may be an overestimation. It all depends on how much emphasis the studio places on the sequel. And if it becomes a low priority over the next year or so, it may be dropped entirely from the schedule.
The Plot Robocop Movie
So, what exactly will RoboCop Returns be about? The first, and most welcome, piece of news is that it will be a direct sequel to the original film. According to RoboCop screenwriter Ed Neumeier, the entire reason for making this sequel is to feel like a true continuation of Paul Verhoeven’s landmark film.
In this regard, Blomkamp’s script was said to be based on the original idea for a sequel by RoboCop screenwriters Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner. However, the story’s specifics have not been made completely clear.
According to Deadline, the story of RoboCop Returns will center on Detroit as it descends deeper into the crimewave of anarchy seen in the first film. With the city on the verge of total chaos, RoboCop must make his triumphant return to prevent the city from devolving into a full-fledged dystopia.
What is unknown about RoboCop Returns is the role of Omni Consumer Products (OCP). At the end of the first film, the mega-corporation still had control of RoboCop. However, in the final scene of RoboCop, Alex Murphy demonstrated his humanity. Will he still be controlled by his programming, or will he be able to assert his free will?
With policing having become such a contentious topic in the last year, it will be interesting to see if RoboCop Returns will attempt to address some social commentary about modern militarised policing. That was certainly on the mind of the original film, and it would be only natural for the same themes to be explored in this sequel.
What we know so far about RoboCop Returns
In July 2018, the reboot was announced. The film’s director, Neill Blomkamp, was attached to the franchise. The film, titled RoboCop Returns, will be a direct sequel to Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 film, skipping all events in the films that came before it.
However, Neill Blomkamp left the project in August 2019 to work on a horror film instead. He announced the news on Twitter.
Off Robocop. I am shooting new horror/thriller and MGM can’t wait/ need to shoot Robocop now. Excited to watch it in theaters with other fans. N
— Neill Blomkamp (@NeillBlomkamp) August 15, 2019
Following Blomkamp’s departure, Abe Forsythe was hired as the film’s director.
There have been no official announcements about the film’s cast. When Neill Blomkamp was in charge of the film, rumors about the return of the original RoboCop, Peter Weller, circulated. Blomkamp had previously advocated for Weller’s return. With Weller now in his 70s, it appears unlikely that he will return for the RoboCop reboot/sequel.
