As we all know well and good by this point in time, director Neill Blomkamp (DISTRICT 9) is developing a new installment in the ROBOCOP series along with MGM. The new film is the TRUE sequel to ROBOCOP we were always supposed to get – but never did – and Blomkamp has assured fans it will be a hard R motion picture and that he wants none other than original RoboCop/Alex Murphy Peter Weller to return to the titular lead role.
But how does Weller feel about ROBOCOP RETURNS?
Well, it turns out that (supposedly) the franchise star isn’t interested in returning to the titular role, the actor’s representatives confirmed to SuperBroMovies. No reason is given for the actor's refusal to return to the iconic role, and I'm thinking someone MAY have jumped the gun here. But it's all good. Things get out sometimes. We'll just have to wait and see if this one's true or not… Stay tuned.
What do you think of this casting rumor? If not Weller, then who would you like to see play Murphy this time around? Let us know below!
Blomkamp on ROBOCOP RETURNS:
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.
Original writers Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner are producing and exec producing and Justin Rhodes (the new TERMINATOR flick) will rewrite the script that Neumeier and Miner wrote way back in the 80's. We'll keep up-to-date on any and all news we hear regarding this new flick so make sure to keep checking back with us here at AITH. Stay tuned!