How the 1988 Writers Strike Killed THE CORPORATE WARS and Paved the Way for ROBOCOP RETURNS
Josh Millican
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Neill Blomkamp (District 9) is currently overseeing a direct sequel to Paul Verhoeven’s ultraviolent techno-horror RoboCop called RoboCop Returns. In a recent interview with the folks at HN Entertainment, however, original RoboCop co-scribe Ed Neumeier explains that a direct sequel to the original was in the formative stages all the way back in 1988. So why has it taken so long for this true sequel to materialize?
It all has to do with the writers’ strike that was taking place at the time. Neumeier describes his original vision for the sequel, how Blomkamp became involved, and what fans can expect from RoboCop Returns (without revealing too much, of course).
“I am a producer at the moment. 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.
“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] was called The Corporate Wars at the time and is now called RoboCop Returns. 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.”
You can check out the interview in its entirety, HERE. As for whether or not original RoboCop lead actor Peter Weller will return in any capacity, it doesn’t seem likely, but anything’s possible.
Related Article: Can We Expect to See Peter Weller in Neill Blomkamp’s ROBOCOP RETURNS?
We’ll be keeping you up to date on all official RoboCop Returns news as details emerge. In the meantime, refamiliarize yourself with the original RoboCop through the synopsis and trailer below.
Synopsis:
In a violent, near-apocalyptic
Detroit, evil corporation Omni Consumer Products wins a contract from the city
government to privatize the police force. To test their crime-eradicating
cyborgs, the company leads street cop Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) into an armed
confrontation with crime lord Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) so they can use his
body to support their untested RoboCop prototype. But when RoboCop learns of
the company’s nefarious plans, he turns on his masters.
Are you excited about Neill Blomkamp’s RoboCop Returns? Sound off in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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