RoboCop Returns

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Neill Blomkamp To Direct New 'RoboCop' For MGM; Justin Rhodes Rewriting Sequel Script By Creators Ed Neumeier & Michael Miner

EXCLUSIVE: MGM is developing a new installment of RoboCop and has set District 9 director Neill Blomkamp to helm the picture, which is titled RoboCop Returns. The studio hopes to revive a franchise that began with the Paul Verhoeven-directed satirical sci-fi action thriller that Orion released in 1987. Original writers Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner are producing and exec producing, respectively. Justin Rhodes, who co-wrote the Terminator film that Tim Miller is shooting, will rewrite the script that Neumeier and Miner wrote years ago as a planned sequel to Verhoeven’s hit, an installment that never happened. That duo is creatively involved in moving forward their creation for the first time since the original.

The original starred Peter Weller as a badly wounded cop on death’s doorstep who is turned into a cyborg law enforcement officer tasked with wiping out crime in an out of control Detroit, but who is plagued by submerged memories of his previous married life. MGM revived the concept with a Jose Padilha-directed version that starred Joe Kinnaman in 2014. That film didn’t do so well domestically, but grossed $240 million worldwide and was particularly strong in China. MGM exec veep Adam Rosenberg is overseeing the new one for the studio.

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


MGM
The original film was a formative touchstone for Blomkamp, whose District 9 grossed $210 million worldwide, got four Oscar nominations and who followed with several science fiction films that carried a polemical message under the surface, including Elysium and Chappie. He has spent the last few years building Oats Studios in Vancouver, where has been producing short form content he has written, directed and self-financed. Blomkamp jumped at the chance to do a RoboCop that harkens back to and picks up the story line from the original film. His own films have highlighted themes like immigration, exclusion and the haves and have nots, and while RoboCop — made in the Reagan era and focused on corporate greed — a different part of the original story has become most important to him.

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

Why wasn’t this sequel story told years ago?

Neumeier and Miner sold the original as a spec script and Orion’s Mike Medavoy, emboldened by the success of Platoon, got heavily behind it. Neumeier and Miner got paid a paltry sum upfront, but eight points of producer profits fattened their wallets. The inspiration was classic Westerns with leading man of few words, namely John Wayne in The Searchers and Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry. “There were four or five things RoboCop couldn’t do, including no talking on the phone, no kissing the girl, and he couldn’t fly and would be limited to four or five signature phrases,” Miner recalled. “Ed and I became zen like in writing that dialogue, which had to be like sharp spears that punch you, in dialogue form. We would labor a whole day over one line. When you recall the way Ethan (Wayne) spike in The Searchers, or Clint in Dirty Harry, they were like zen poems in an action culture.”

The original grossed over $50 million and got three Oscar noms including a win for Best Sound Effects Editing. Despite this, and even though Neumeier and Miner had written a worthy followup in the spirit of the original, their sequel didn’t happen for several reasons.

“Verhoeven felt at the time that making one would be de classe and he wasn’t interested in the politics of a sequel, “Neumeier told Deadline. “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 Startship Troopers with Paul.”

It came back around when he got a call from MGM president Jon Glickman, tasked with creating franchise material for that studio. “Right when Trump was about to be elected president he 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.”

Blomkamp is represented by WME; Rhodes is WME and Madhouse; Neumeier and Miner are APA.

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www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/neill-blomkamp-direct-robocop-returns-1126289

'District 9' Filmmaker Neill Blomkamp Tackling 'RoboCop Returns'

Justin Rhodes, who co-wrote the 'Terminator' reboot that Tim Miller is directing, is rewriting a script that was written by Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner.
RoboCop, the cyborg police officer who patrols the streets of Detroit, is returning to the big screen.

Neill Blomkamp, who directed such tech-heavy movies such as District 9 and Chappie, has been set by MGM to helm what is being titled RoboCop Returns, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Justin Rhodes, who co-wrote the Terminator reboot that Tim Miller is directing, is rewriting a script that was written by Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner, the duo who wrote the original 1987 RoboCop, which is regarded as a sci-fi and action classic.

The original movie, directed by Paul Verhoeven, told of a police officer who, on death’s doorstep, is used as an experiment to create a new type of patrolman, one that is half man, half machine (but "all cop," as the poster said). The new creation then struggled with resurfacing memories and corrupt city officials.

RoboCop struck chords viscerally — the action elements went deep 'R' rating — as well as thematically, with the movie serving up satirical commentary on Reaganomics, the Go-Go '80s and media.

Two sequels followed — one was even co-written by Frank Miller — but they are largely forgotten.

MGM already tried to resuscitate the franchise with a remake in 2014. That movie was directed by Jose Padilha, the helmer of Brazil’s acclaimed Elite Squad crime movies, and starred Joel Kinnaman. The pic was met with tepid response and shows how hard it can be to manage and update classic titles.

Neumeier and Miner wrote the script for the sequel years ago, with Rhodes now rewriting it. Neumeier will act as a producer on RoboCop Returns, with Miner serving as an executive producer.

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www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/robocop-returns-can-save-neill-blomkamp-1126450

Why 'Robocop' and Neill Blomkamp Need Each Other

With 'Robocop Returns,’ perhaps the South African filmmaker will also be able to step out of the shadow of 'District 9.'
Robocop is back on patrol. The news broke this afternoon that director Neill Blomkamp will helm Robocop Returns, MGM's sequel to the original 1987 film that saw Officer Alex Murphy left for dead and turned into a cyborg who must come to terms with his own free will. Scripted by upcoming Terminator screenwriter Justin Rhodes, the sequel is said to ignore the previous entries and 2014 reboot.

Robocop finds itself at an interesting juncture in terms of pop-cultural interest. While Paul Verhoeven’s original film is regarded as a sci-fi classic, one that’s influence can be seen as recently as this summer’s Upgrade, it never successfully tapped into its franchise potential. After two poorly received sequels in 1990 and 1993, a 1994 television show that lasted one season, a cheaply made, 2001 TV miniseries, Robocop: Prime Directives, and a reboot that boasted nifty effects while failing to distinguish itself from the original, Robocop is a property that seems destined for the scrapheap. But with the Predator and Terminator receiving new film entries set to make up for, and potentially omit, some of the mistakes of the past, a redemption for Robocop not only feels right, but necessary. Robocop is returning at just the right time, and hopefully busting Blomkamp out of the director jail that too many audiences and critics have sentenced him to.

Robocop Returns is not the first time Blomkamp has been attached to the revival of a major science-fiction property. In 2015 he was linked to a sequel to Aliens (1986), Alien: Awakening, that would see Sigourney Weaver return as Ellen Ripley. Fox ultimately shelved the project in the midst of reconfiguring Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant (2017) and the direction of the franchise. While an Alien film would have potentially allowed Blomkamp a significant chance to distinguish himself from his previous films, Robocop seems like a smoother path for the filmmaker to remind critics and audiences why his directorial lens is so crucial. And while his take on Alien: Awakening sounded great, there is no better match for Robocop than Neill Blomkamp — the two need each other. While the South African filmmaker has proven divisive in recent years, there’s no denying the fact that Blomkamp’s cinematic language is largely inspired by Verhoeven’s film. Blomkamp’s tech heavy films, featuring all manner of exo-suits, robots, political conflicts, and bloody splatter effects owe much of their identity to the 1987 film. In many ways, it feels like Robocop Returns is the film that Blomkamp has been pushing his whole career towards.



Because general public opinion has shifted on Blomkamp’s talent, it’s easy to forget that his Peter Jackson-produced debut feature, District 9 (2009) was nominated for four Academy Awards, including best adapted screenplay and best picture. While the film promised the emergence of a bold new voice in sci-fi cinema, it also saddled Blomkamp with expectations he couldn’t live up to. His second feature, Elysium (2013), found modest success and generally favorable reviews, factors that have become lost in the internet’s wave of grievances over the handling of the film’s social issues. Had Elysium been Blomkamp’s debut, followed by District 9, it’s entirely likely that the narrative of negativity that often surrounds him in certain online circles, would not exist. Blomkamp’s third film, Chappie (2015), isn’t as easy to make a positive argument for, but even it has its fan base. A box office and critical disappointment, Chappie, offered some interesting ideas about artificial intelligence, while being too rough around the edges, too tonally broad, and too invested in Die Antwoord for the majority audiences to find entirely forgivable.

Despite the fact that Blomkamp seems unable to escape the shadow cast by his first major work, his abilities have never been a question of passion. Every film Blomkamp has directed feels personal, and entirely true to his voice and vision. Blomkamp’s films enter the cinema wet, warm, and crying to be shielded. They are like newborn babies viewed by people who know what they would like these unrefined masses of potential to be. In truth, the insular nature of Blomkamp’s films may be part of the problem in terms of their reception. Blomkamp’s films seem so attached to a specific viewpoint and aesthetic choice that they can be alienating to viewers. What makes Robocop Returns an exciting prospect is that it will be the first film that Blomkamp will not have written or co-written himself, allowing the director a freedom, and chance to further define his style outside of his own headspace. While exo-skeletons and robots don’t remove the filmmaker from his trusted box of tools, Robocop Returns may allow Blomkamp to hone in on a specific issue, like he did with District 9, rather than approach the broader spectrum of vexation that’s tougher to balance.

Blomkamp’s previous films, all set in South Africa, have dealt with class divisions, xenophobia, and pharma corruption, using Apartheid as an entry point for most of these issues. With the original Robocop set in Detroit, it seems likely that we’ll see Blomkamp bring his social concerns to America where they’ll have a different reach and outcome. The original film leaned heavily into political and corporate satire, something later iterations failed to do as effectively, if they attempted it at all. While the return of Robocop will likely be looked at, and hyped up as, a return of an '80s action hero, that’s not what makes the project exciting.

We don’t need to see Robocop as a superhero — something the sequels attempted. We have enough comic book characters to save the day. Instead Robocop can be far more effective if looked at in the context of our current socio-political climate, just as Verhoven did for his time. It’s certainly not a shock to say that cops aren’t held in the same heroic regard in 2018 as they were in 1987, and that’s doubly true from the perspective black people. So the idea of taking a cyborg police officer known for brutality, and setting him in a city famously set back by institutionalized racism, creating one of America’s most troubled cities, will prove a difficult, yet undoubtedly interesting challenge that could result in one of our most important modern sci-fi films. While there’s a chance Blomkamp may succumb to the studio machine, Robocop Returns seems like the perfect opportunity for the filmmaker to assert his identity.

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www.cbr.com/neill-blomkamp-perfect-robocop-director/

Neill Blomkamp Was Born to Direct a Robocop Movie

Neill Blomkamp took the film world by storm with his first feature-length, District 9 back in 2009. The movie became a box office hit, was loved by critics and fans, and went on to earn four Academy Award Nominations.

District 9 blended gritty “hard-R” science fiction action with thinly-veiled social commentary (in this case, Apartheid in South Africa). This mix harkened back to a lot of science fiction films of the 1980s, which was a great time for R-rated science fiction films with something more than aliens and space travel on their minds. Films like Predator, Aliens, Escape from New York, and The Road Warrior would become “best of” list staples for decades. They gave audiences the best of both worlds: a straight forward allegory for a social or politic moment in time and explosive, visceral action, which cunningly disguised a film’s intelligence with heaps of dumb.

When District 9 made a splash, it seemed that this oft forgotten tone in science fiction had a new champion. To be fair, there were R-rated science fiction films being produced all throughout the ‘90s and early aughts, but none of them really captured the raw, do-it-yourself tone of so many science fiction films of the 1980s. Neill Blomkamp didn’t seem to have any interest in emulating the works which came before, but he certainly presented District 9 as a love letter to them. And while Blomkamp’s subsequent features, Elysium and Chappie, certainly had their merits, neither of them were able to recapture that ‘80s vibe in quite the same way. A lot of the heavy-handed allegory was present, but they both lacked a certain oomph (except for that crazy rail gun scene from Elysium; that was messy).

Now it seems Blomkamp has the chance to not only bring back the magic he weaved in District 9, but also play in a world that influenced him as a filmmaker. It was recently announced the Blomkamp has been tapped to helm a direct sequel to the Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 classic, Robocop, which is arguably the epitome of smart and gory ‘80s science fiction films. The tentatively titled Robocop Returns is perfect for Blomkamp’s style of film making. The 1987 original film was rife with social commentary, tackling subjects of mass consumerism, trickle-down economics, corporation overreach, and the death of the “rust belt,” all of which are as relevant today as they were then (if not more so).

Those themes weren’t exactly handled with subtlety, either. In fact, Robocop‘s social commentary was so on-the-nose that you would be forgiven to think it was being a bit cynical… which is kind of was. However, a lack of subtlety can easily be overlooked when the action is genuinely confrontational. The sheer audacious gore of Verhoeven’s film originally earned it an X-rating, something that was pretty rare for mainstream films of the time, especially when they were not marketed as “adult entertainment.”


And that’s where Blomkamp comes in. His films carry a lot of weight with them, and they want the audience to know how heavy it all is. There is an certain level of earnestness in Blomkamp’s work that might actually improve upon the more cynical tone of Robocop. Blomkamp understands the notion of hope is important to an audience. While his films don’t always have a traditionally happy ending, there is always a glimmer of hope for a brighter future for either his characters or the world they populate. Robocop doesn’t, at least not in the same manner. The cynicism rode the film’s wave to the very end.

This notion of hope Blomkamp employs coupled with his gritty style (which will be right at home if they shoot on location in Detroit) and knack for straight forward allegory, has a really good chance to create a Robocop sequel that could be something special. To be fair, Blomkamp doesn’t have the highest of bars to clear in terms of the quality of his previous two films or the current Robocop sequels and remake, but we’d love to see him soar over them like a blood-splattered eagle back from hunt screeching, “dead or alive, you’re coming with me.”

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Neill Blomkamp Wants Peter Weller Back for RoboCop Reboot

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www.cbr.com/robocop-peter-weller-not-interested/

Peter Weller Reportedly Not Interested in Blomkamp RoboCop Reboot

Actor Peter Weller has reportedly expressed no interest in returning to his titular role from the 1987 film RoboCop for the upcoming RoboCop Returns reboot.

The actor's representatives confirmed Weller's disinterest to SuperBroMovies. This goes against RoboCop Returns director Neill Blomkamp's hopes; back in August, he teased a Weller comeback to fans over social media, stating that Weller was his choice for the role.

At 71, Weller is the same age as Arnold Schwarzenegger and a year younger than Sylvester Stallone, both of whom haven't dropped out of the action genre entirely. RoboCop's helmet would mask his face as well, making stunt doubles easier to use. Other aging action stars like Jackie Chan, 64, and Harrison Ford, 76, have also remained somewhat active in the genre.

A reboot using its original actor would also be in line with this year's new Halloween, where Jamie Lee Curtis returned to her role as Laurie Strode 40 years later. Last year's Twin Peaks: The Return also reintroduced a lot of the original series' main cast, despite the passage of 25 years. As such, it wouldn't have been entirely unheard of if Peter Weller returned to the role.

RoboCop Returns picks up after the original Paul Verhoeven film. The first film received two sequels in 1990 and 1993, both of which were poorly received, as well as a remake in 2014. Though Weller reprised his role in RoboCop 2, Robert John Burke replaced him for the third film. The 2014 remake starred Joel Kinnaman in the role. Like Halloween, RoboCop Returns will ignore all its sequels, including the remake.

According to the report, RoboCop Returns will have an R-rating and take place a year after the original film. It will be scripted by upcoming Terminator reboot writer Justin Rhodes and produced by original screenwriter Ed Neumeier. Original film co-writer Michael Miner is also an executive producer. Rhodes is reworking a script by Neumeier and Miner.

With rumors of Weller's return dashed, its titular role is yet to be cast.The film does not yet have a release date.

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www.bleedingcool.com/2019/01/23/ed-neumeier-offers-some-robocop-returns-updates/


Ed Neumeier Offers Some ‘Robocop Returns’ Updates
Posted by Mary Anne Butler January 23, 2019

In 2018, there was a lot of chatter about a possible Robocop revisit, that would in truth be way more of a direct sequel than anyone thought possible.



Justin Rhodes (co-writer of Tim Miller‘s The Terminator sequel) was reportedly rewriting a script that Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner originally wrote as a direct sequel to Paul Verhoeven‘s 1987 Robocop film. This script reportedly picks up right after the end of the first film, and has a working title of Robocop Returns.


Neill Blomkamp told Deadline back in July of 2018 that Rhodes had “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.”

Cut to today, and Neumeier (who will produce Robocop Returns) offering an update to HN Entertainment about the status of the production, and the possibility of Peter Weller returning:

“We talked about it a couple of years back and I reminded [MGM] that we had written a very rough sequel back in 1988 which then was stopped by the writer’s strike, the same year. And they looked at it and they said ‘Oh, good!’, so we did some more work on that and then Neill Blomkamp found out about it and he said, ‘I have always wanted to do this, this is my dream project’ and MGM was very very pleased to get into business with him.

Neill Blomkamp and his screenwriter Justin Rhodes have done a pass on the script we were writing on and they’re doing another one. It is a slightly different concept in some ways than we were originally doing, Neill wants to do. I don’t want to talk too much about it or somebody will call me and tell me to shut up, but we’re hopeful and I think Neill really really wants to make a good RoboCop movie. His idea is that it should be the proper Verhoeven if Verhoeven had directed a movie right after RoboCop I think that’s what he is trying to achieve and I hope he does. We’ll see what happens next.

I don’t want to spoil anything but we had some ideas about shall we say about the future of augmented humans and one of our villains is that and our other villain lives in the corporate world somewhat as before, but, you know, the RoboCop thing for me was always exploring man’s relationship with technology, coping with technology.

As you know from the press that Neill Blomkamp wants to bring back Peter Weller back and what you get when you do that if you use the DNA of the old property in the new is that you get something that shares continuity and fans can embrace the brand, it’s not too different and what you realize is that when I was sitting and writing 30 years later, rewriting, the second draft of our sequel to RoboCop, which was called The Corporate Wars at the time and is now called RoboCop Returns. I kept hearing Peter’s voice, you know, Peter adds a lot to that.”

So, what do we think? Yes Robocop whether or not Weller returns, or was the 2014 evidence enough of the importance of keeping key players in a franchise?

We’ll let you know when we hear anything new about Robocop Returns.

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www.bleedingcool.com/2019/08/15/director-neill-blomkamp-off-robocop-returns-says-mgm-wont-wait/



Director Neill Blomkamp off “RoboCop Returns”, Says MGM Won’t Wait
Posted by Tom Chang August 15, 2019

Neill Blomkamp, best known for his sci-fi films in District 9, Elysium, and Chappie, announced on Twitter that he’s no longer directing RoboCop Returns. The Oscar-nominee wrote that MGM could no longer wait until his current commitment is completed so they’re looking for a new director.


Neill Blomkamp
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@neillblomkamp
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

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Blomkamp was attached to direct in July 2018 along with creators Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner penning the script with Justin Rhodes. When talking with HN Entertainment, Neumeier wanted to retain as much of the original spirit as the 1987 Paul Verhoeven gritty R-rated classic as possible and scrapping the remnants from the 2014 PG-13 reboot starring Joel Kinnaman.

“Ah, so they are, Neill Blomkamp and his screenwriter Justin Rhodes have done a pass on the script we were writing on and they’re doing another one. It is a slightly different concept in some ways than we were originally doing, Neill wants to do. I don’t want to talk too much about it or somebody will call me and tell me to shut up, but we’re hopeful and I think Neill really really wants to make a good RoboCop movie. His idea is that it should be the proper Verhoeven [Paul Verhoeven] if Verhoeven had directed a movie right after RoboCop I think that’s what he is trying to achieve and I hope he does. We’ll see what happens next.”

Neumeier, who’s taking on producer duties for RoboCop Returns, said the script is based on a sequel written in 1988 that never panned out.


“We talked about it a couple of years back and I reminded them that we had written a very rough sequel back in 1988 which then was stopped by the writer’s strike, the same year. And they looked at it and they said ‘oh, good!’, so we did some more work on that and then Neill Blomkamp found out about it and he said ‘I have always wanted to do this, this is my dream project’ and MGM was very very pleased to get into business with him.”

Neumeier teased RoboCop facing augmented humans and another corporate villain similar in the vein of Dick Jones, played by Ronny Cox in the first film and said Blomkamp wanted to find a way to get star Peter Weller, who played the title character and his alter ego Alex Murphy in the 1987, involved somehow.

“As you know from the press that Neill Blomkamp wants to bring back Peter Weller back and what you get when you do that if you use the DNA of the old property in the new is that you get something that shares continuity and fans can embrace the brand, it’s not too different and what you realize is that when I was sitting and writing 30 years later, rewriting, the second draft of our sequel to RoboCop, which was called The Corporate Wars at the time and is now called Robocop Returns. I kept hearing Peter’s voice, you know, Peter adds a lot to that.”



A satirical take on America’s love of excessive consumerism and examining one’s own humanity, the 1987 film starred Weller, Nancy Allen, Kurtwood Smith, and Cox.

This isn’t the first sci-fi franchise Blomkamp was attached as at one point to direct an Alien film with star Sigourney Weaver set to reprise her role as Ellen Ripley, but the project was scrapped in favor for Ridley Scott’s prequels. Despite the poor performing Alien: Covenant, Disney, who retained franchise rights after their acquisition of 20th Century Fox, still plans to allow Scott to direct the third prequel.


Who should MGM try to recruit to direct RoboCop Returns? Could they coax Verhoeven to return? Would a more contemporary director be better suited to handle the film?

About Tom Chang
I'm a gamer, sci-fi and fantasy fan. film and TV snob. I love to write and read the classics. Anything you want to talk about, I'm here to entertain or at least pretend to be interested.