The RoboCop Thread

[The Joker]

There are rumours circulating of a sequel called RoboCops. If that's true, it sounds like they could be taking inspiration from one of the old Marvel RoboCop storylines.

There's actually rumors of a sequel for this?





I agree with your overall review, Silver Nemesis. Pretty darn average, not especially memorable, and overall, very much lacking the tightly edited charm of the original with all it's humorous, and well done (especially so for it's time) satirical elements, classic one liners, over the top violence, ect.

[mrrockey]

There are rumours circulating of a sequel called RoboCops. If that's true, it sounds like they could be taking inspiration from one of the old Marvel RoboCop storylines.

There's actually rumors of a sequel for this?





I agree with your overall review, Silver Nemesis. Pretty darn average, not especially memorable, and overall, very much lacking the tightly edited charm of the original with all it's humorous, and well done (especially so for it's time) satirical elements, classic one liners, over the top violence, ect.

I heard some rumors somewhere that they were considering a TV spin-off of the remake, centering on Murphy's life as a cop in Detroit before becoming RoboCop. Who the hell would watch that?

[Silver Nemesis]

There was one line in the new film which I thought was quite funny. It's where RoboCop says, "Hey doctor, what happens if I taser an exoskeleton with a little asshole inside?" And Oldman's character coyly replies, "I, uh... I think we're all curious to find out." That was one of the few times I chuckled in the entire film.

One other thing I didn't like about the new movie was Lewis. Why make her into a man? I hate it when male characters are turned into females for the sake of political correctness, and I find the reverse equally idiotic. If they'd had an interesting new angle on the character then I might have understood. But that wasn't the case here. In the old films she was a tough, bubblegum-chewing wiseass who helped Murphy rediscover his true identity, rescued him from the cops outside the OCP tower, and aided him in the final battle against Boddicker and his goons. The Lewis in the new film only really plays an active role during the finale. For the rest of the movie he comes across as passive, underdeveloped and redundant. I don't blame the actor for this, just the writers.

Give me Nancy Allen any day.

I heard some rumors somewhere that they were considering a TV spin-off of the remake, centering on Murphy's life as a cop in Detroit before becoming RoboCop. Who the hell would watch that?

You know what TV series they should make? It's Not My Problem!

It's Not My Problem! is a comedy show on television, apparently a big hit with a diverse audience, many of old Detroit's residents tune in, including 7 - 11 store owners, powerful executives, violent street hoodlums and cops.

It seems to center around Bixby Snyder, a drunken, crass, scruffy, middle-aged man in glasses, who gets into a variety of unusual, unlikely, slapstick situations, more often than not including one or more women of questionable moral standing. The main character is generally offered some incredibly lucky or rewarding prize, to which the main character invariably laughs hoarsely and ejaculates his catchphrase: "I'd buy that for a dollar!"

Naturally, the residents of Old Detroit find this a never ending source of hilarity. No wonder crime is so high.

http://robocop.wikia.com/wiki/It%27s_Not_My_Problem!

Highbrow humour at it's finest. This would surely sweep the Emmys.

[riddler]

I'm not sure if I'd see a sequel. It's hard to picture it being better with all the man vs machine themes and this one wasn't that good to begin with. Robocop isn't that interesting of a superhero, the originals appeal were the satirical aspects and storylines. It's hard to make a progressive storyline for multiple films. I probably feel this one was on par with Robocop 2; definitely better than the third film but nowhere near the first one.

The hard thing is that this concept needs to be relatively gritty so it's difficult to come up with central conflicts and worthy villains. Villains with super powers such as the comic ones we know of don't work nor do the masterminds due to the physical prerequisite. The only logical ones are crime bosses or follow the clichee and make a villain similar to the hero (ie. a robocriminal)

Definitely the lack of female Lewis and Dick Jones/Clarence Boddiker were sorely missed although Oldman's character does pick up some of the slack there. I guess Keaton is supposed to be the Dick Jones replacement but if they wanted him to be a bad guy, they didn't develop him as one. Kurtwood Smiths character is one of the most evil gritty characters in film. He rivals Jack Nicholsons Joker in the sense that he's a bad guy to everyone; his bosses, associates and even his partners. Also the death of Murphy scene doesn't hold the candle to the shootout from the original. One thing I don't understand? They said he suffered 4th degree burns to most of his body, why did his face and remaining hand have no burn marks?

I didn't like when they attempted to make nods to the original; they should have given Lewis a different name to avoid comparisons. Since they weren't doing a remake, they should have severed most ties.

[The Joker]

Give me Nancy Allen any day.

I'll always think of Lewis when I see Nancy Allen. It was, after all, my introduction to her. Watched "Dressed to Kill" years later, and it was somewhat jarring to see just how different her character was in that from her role as Lewis that left such a impression on me, but it was all good.

You know what TV series they should make? It's Not My Problem!

Highbrow humour at it's finest. This would surely sweep the Emmys.

I would make a point in watching that. Even during a full scale riot outside of a electronics store.

[The Joker]

Until something gets *officially* announced, I'll leave this here.

http://www.darkhorizons.com/original-robocop-may-get-a-sequel/

Original "Robocop" May Get A Sequel?

The "Robocop" franchise may be following in the footsteps of the "Halloween" series with a feature film revival that serves as a direct sequel to the original and ignores the continuity of all the sequels and remakes that came in between.

In an interview with Zeitgeist Entertainment Magazine at the Barbados Independent Film Festival, screenwriter Ed Neumeier revealed he's working on a sequel to the 1987 film at MGM right now and went into a few specifics:

    "There's been a bunch of other RoboCop movies and there was recently a remake and I would say this would be kind of going back to the old RoboCop we all love and starting there and going forward. So it's a continuation really of the first movie. In my mind. So it's a little bit more of the old school thing."

Could get interesting. Especially if MGM somehow talks Peter Weller (who's more recent work on Dexter, Son's of Anarchy, and the Dark Knight Returns animated movie being awesome) to return for one last go as Murphy. Depending, of course, if this is taking place 30 years following the original Robocop and it's future time setting, or something like only 5-10 years.

[Silver Nemesis]

It'd be great if this thing panned out and we got a proper R-rated sequel to the first two films.

[riddler]

Until something gets *officially* announced, I'll leave this here.

http://www.darkhorizons.com/original-robocop-may-get-a-sequel/

Original "Robocop" May Get A Sequel?

The "Robocop" franchise may be following in the footsteps of the "Halloween" series with a feature film revival that serves as a direct sequel to the original and ignores the continuity of all the sequels and remakes that came in between.

In an interview with Zeitgeist Entertainment Magazine at the Barbados Independent Film Festival, screenwriter Ed Neumeier revealed he's working on a sequel to the 1987 film at MGM right now and went into a few specifics:

    "There's been a bunch of other RoboCop movies and there was recently a remake and I would say this would be kind of going back to the old RoboCop we all love and starting there and going forward. So it's a continuation really of the first movie. In my mind. So it's a little bit more of the old school thing."

The first film never states it's era, it's implied to be the future but no year is ever stated so there's plenty of freedom here.

I'm fine with ignoring Robocop 2. It's a decent action flick but does very little for the story and character. It definitely has the potential to work, Blade Runner proved that, the only difference here is asking people to ignore sequels and a reboot


Could get interesting. Especially if MGM somehow talks Peter Weller (who's more recent work on Dexter, Son's of Anarchy, and the Dark Knight Returns animated movie being awesome) to return for one last go as Murphy. Depending, of course, if this is taking place 30 years following the original Robocop and it's future time setting, or something like only 5-10 years.

[Silver Nemesis]

Six years ago I wrote:

I'd much rather they made Robocop Returns, a proper R-rated sequel to the first two films featuring Peter Weller in the title role. But we're never going to get that now,

Apparently I spoke too soon. Now Deadline is reporting:

"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."
https://deadline.com/2018/07/robocop-neill-blomkamp-directing-robocop-returns-justin-rhodes-ed-neumeier-michael-miner-mgm-1202424639/

The moral of the story: ask and you shall receive.

[The Joker]

Cool.

Batman Returns

Superman Returns

Robocop Returns

Let's hope Robo's return turns out to be a worthwhile film, and that way, two out of three ain't bad. Per Meatloaf.