"Robocop" Series in Development at Amazon

Paul Verhoeven's action spectacle "Robocop" is one of the ultimate cult films of the 80s and was particularly impressive with its cynicism and brutal violence. Several sequels followed over the years and finally a reboot in 2014. Now a series is in the pipeline, for which the streaming giant Amazon will be in charge.

According to Variety, Peter Ocko has been appointed as writer, executive producer and showrunner for the "Robocop" series. Ocko has already been involved in a variety of projects, including series such as "The Office", "The Leftovers" and "Black Sails". In addition to Ocko, James Wan is also involved as an executive producer. Wan will supervise the series under his production company Atomic Monster.

The official synopsis of the series tells of a future in which a giant tech conglomerate works with the local police to develop a technologically advanced enforcer. This half-human, half-machine enforcer is designed to combat the growing crime rate in the city.

The series' idea is strongly reminiscent of the dystopian approach of the original 1987 film, which became famous for its blend of brutal action, satirical social criticism and the reflection on the connection between man and machine. Sounds like they want to get back to basics. We are very excited!

All "Robocop" Films at a Glance

The "RoboCop" films are among the iconic science fiction film series that are deeply rooted in the 1980s. With a mixture of action, satire, socio-political commentary and futuristic dystopia, the film series had a lasting impact on the genre. In total, the series comprises four films that fall into different decades and cinematic eras. Here's a detailed look at each movie and the influences they had on pop culture and science fiction cinema.

RoboCop (1987)

The first "RoboCop" film, directed by Paul Verhoeven in 1987, is considered a masterpiece of dystopian science fiction cinema. The story takes place in a near future Detroit, which is plagued by crime and corruption. Police officer Alex Murphy (played by Peter Weller) is brutally murdered by a criminal gang and brought back to life as a cyborg police officer by the company OCP (Omni Consumer Products). Under the new name "RoboCop", Murphy is sent out onto the streets to restore law and order. But despite his new machine body, Murphy begins to remember his former life as a human.

"RoboCop" was not just an action film, but also contained a sharp satire on capitalism, the militarization of the police and dehumanization through technology. Verhoeven, the Dutch director, used a mixture of black humor and brutal realism to criticize the excessive violence and social injustice in the near future. The depiction of media and advertising in the movie, which often seemed absurd and exaggerated, also represented a biting criticism of consumer society and media manipulation.

The special effects, especially the stop-motion animation of the robotic adversary ED-209, and the impressive RoboCop suit made the film a visual spectacle. The movie had a huge cultural impact and inspired numerous comics, video games and even a TV series.

RoboCop 2 (1990)

Following the success of the first film, the sequel "RoboCop 2" followed in 1990, directed by Irvin Kershner (director of "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back"). The story continues the events of the first movie and shows Detroit still in chaos as OCP plans to completely privatize the city. RoboCop must fight back against a new drug called "Nuke" and a ruthless drug lord who becomes a cyborg himself.

"RoboCop 2" is much darker and more brutal than its predecessor. While the first movie still contained humorous satirical elements, the sequel focuses more on violence and action. The social and political criticism remains, but it is pushed into the background by the intense action and the technical achievements of the time.

Although the sequel was successful at the box office, it received a mixed reception from critics. The lack of balance between satire and action and the more brutal portrayal were criticized. Nevertheless, the film retained a certain cult status.

RoboCop 3 (1993)

"RoboCop 3" marked a drastic turning point in the series. Fred Dekker took over as director and the film was steered in a more family-friendly direction to appeal to a wider audience. The third installment sees RoboCop take on a rebellion by the citizens of Detroit, who are to be evicted by OCP to make way for a new futuristic city center.

Unlike the first two films, which received an "R" rating for their violence and gritty tone, "RoboCop 3" was released with a "PG-13" rating, which meant that the violence was toned down considerably. This disappointed many fans, who felt the movie was watered down and unintentionally comical.

The reactions to "RoboCop 3" were therefore predominantly negative. The movie was seen as too simple and a cheap copy of its predecessors. The plot and character development were criticized as weak, and the replacement of Peter Weller as the lead actor with Robert Burke was likewise not well received by viewers.

RoboCop (2014) - The Reboot

After a two-decade break, a reboot of the franchise was released in 2014 under the direction of José Padilha. The story essentially remained the same: Police officer Alex Murphy (now played by Joel Kinnaman) is rebuilt into a cyborg after an explosion to fight in a future version of Detroit. However, the story has been modernized and the focus has been placed on drone warfare and surveillance technology.

The reboot attempted to address current issues such as privacy in the digital age and the use of drones in war zones. The development of artificial intelligence and its role in society was also examined more intensively than in the original films.

Reactions to the new movie were mixed. Some praised the modernization and the new technologies, while others criticized the original's lack of satirical bite. The attempt to give the film a more serious and thought-provoking tone also led to disappointment among some critics.

The "RoboCop" series is an integral part of science fiction history. The first film remains unsurpassed, with its clever mix of action and social criticism. Although the sequels and the remake had their moments, they were unable to match the success and innovation of the original. Nevertheless, "RoboCop" remains a symbol of 1980s cinema and a grim warning of an over-technologized future.