‘RoboCop’ is set for a series reboot, with Peter Weller potentially returning

Robocop (1987) movie. Photo credit: Amazon MGM Studios

If there is a will, there is a way. This is how I interpret the latest developments regarding Amazon MGM Studios’ series reboot of “RoboCop.” The original actor, Peter Weller, has expressed in recent interviews his desire to potentially reprise his iconic role as the half-man, half-machine law enforcer from Detroit City, provided certain conditions are met. Certainly, Peter Weller deserves to have his conditions met, as all proven and respected veteran actors have earned that right, because he wants to do things the right way since his most recognized, remembered, and popular portrayal in any movie he has done is in “RoboCop” (1987), after all.

The fact that there is a chance that Peter Weller could come back as RoboCop is one of the best pieces of news I have heard because I am a fan, as are millions of others. Indeed, the possibility of Peter Weller’s potential inevitable return is significantly increased by the overwhelmingly positive reception from gamers of the RoboCop: Rogue City video game for PS5. Peter Weller lent his iconic, unmistakable voice to the video game character of RoboCop which contributed to the game’s status as a bestseller and one of the most played PS5 titles since its release in 2023.

That fan praise, critical reception, and approval that the RoboCop: Rogue City video game has garnered since its release has certainly gotten the attention of many people, especially studio executives from Amazon MGM Studios, and the looks of it, they are entertaining the idea of bringing back Peter Weller in some capacity in their planned series reboot of RoboCop because everyone will always identify Peter Weller as RoboCop and no one has ever come close to his masterful portrayal. Actors are meant to be in certain roles, and Peter Weller is RoboCop.

For many years, there have always been talks, rumors, and rumblings of another attempt to do a RoboCop series. Now, it is a reality cemented in stone. This positive turnaround was only made feasible by Amazon’s acquisition of MGM a couple of years ago because this purchase allows Amazon to invest in MGM’s existing intellectual properties, with the RoboCop franchise being one of its most valuable assets that still has a strong and loyal fan base from its MGM years. 

In terms of the production side of things, Amazon MGM Studios is moving fast in terms of building up the team that would be behind the planned RoboCop reboot series, as Amazon MGM Studios already has a creative team in place. James Wan’s Atomic Monster production company will be backing the planned reboot, while Peter Ocko and Bryan Fuller will serve as the primary writers, executive producers, and overall showrunners.

What does this mean? If it is still not clear as day, all these developments confirm that the RoboCop reboot series from Amazon MGM Studios is officially happening.

This speaks of the staying power of the RoboCop IP, considering that the fanfare surrounding RoboCop (1987) has only intensified with each passing decade because new generations have gotten the chance to watch it themselves and have realized why its popularity has lasted this long. Time was all that was needed for this to happen, as Robocop has gone from a moderate hit and cult favorite to now a masterpiece in many respects. There have been two sequels. In the past, there have been television shows, animated series, and a RoboCop reboot (2014), but none of them have captured all the emotions that the first movie had. More and more as time passes, the value of what Peter Weller did as RoboCop only grows, and it further reiterates the notion that his stunning portrayal is what made it a household name in the first place.

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Robocop (1987) movie. Photo credit: Amazon MGM Studios

Aside from RoboCop’s staying power, what is the main reason that RoboCop has reached a level of almost legend-like status in cinemas and popular culture? Again, it goes back to the said actor, Peter Weller, who auditioned for the role and had qualities about him that said he was a morally upright man, that he had core values, and that he had a sense of honor and duty, which were all perfect because he was a policeman in RoboCop (1987) that immediately, as a moviegoer or a viewer at home, you could tell he was different in a good way. And when you connect all of these aforementioned qualities about him, they fit perfectly with the backbone of the plotline that the movie had, which made it work because you needed a likable actor, and you doubly needed the onscreen portrayal he will be doing to reflect that and someone the moviegoers would root for. So, there, check mark on casting the right male lead for this one, which made all the difference, indeed.

Let us not forget that the late director Paul Verhoeven was also a crucial piece as to why RoboCop (1987) had its distinctive signature appeal, visual treatment, and cinematic nuances that all contributed to RoboCop (1987) making it what it is. Indeed, this is one of those rare cases wherein you had the right people in front of and behind the camera. This lends credence to the idea that when you have a director who “gets it” and has the same vision as the lead actor, then the producers also have the same goals for the movie, and everything falls into place. And that has not happened often lately. On the contrary, many times, nowadays, it has become a tug of war between what the actor wants, what the director wants, and what the producer wants, and then, you add what the audience wants or what moviegoers want. The result is that moviegoers end up confused with what they had just watched by the time the movie ends. Haha….

That is why there are so many big-budget movies that, as the movie progresses, feel like multiple people had their say on the movie because it feels like a convoluted mess. Haha…. RoboCop (1987) never felt that way, as it felt like a smartly acted and directed cohesive piece of sci-fi action film with a purpose in it.

Upon reflecting, I believe that RoboCop (1987) is a bright cornerstone of 1980s cinema, showcasing a futuristic yet near-dystopian Detroit City characterized by rampant crime, rising poverty, and corruption, only for the city to be saved by a once-alive police officer given new life as a machine with semblance of his former life still intact within him. Indeed, the setting, the time it takes place, and the atmosphere are bleak, but a glimmer of hope emerges in the form of RoboCop. 

However, before he could become a law-enforcing cyborg, the man destined to be reborn — “Alex Murphy” — had to be viciously killed by criminals, making him the prime candidate for the role of half-machine, half-man, all-cop of the future, because “Alex Murphy” did his best to fulfill his mission despite being outnumbered, and yet, when he is resurrected as a security enforcement product of OCP, the bulletproof aluminum armor that covers his entire new robotic body cannot hide the humanity that still lies within him, as he struggles at first understanding why he became RoboCop and what this new lease on life means to him.

This movie made you think. The magnificence of this movie cannot be overlooked despite RoboCop’s ultra-violent nature because it never felt like those things happened for no reason but aided the story of how dangerous Detroit City had become. How can anyone combat or fight off criminals who have high-powered weapons, who move in massive groups, and have seemingly zero respect or fear for the law and the individuals who are trained and hired to enforce it? Indeed, you needed a futuristic law enforcer, someone who would be nearly indestructible and could patrol the streets to protect the innocent. He may be a cyborg, but RoboCop has a lot of compassion in him that rivals those who are entirely made up of flesh and bone.

To this day, if you watch RoboCop (1987), you can see why it has stood the test of time and why there have been many attempts to try to recapture that magic that the first movie had, but to no success. I do believe it had to do with the times and what was missing in movies during that period in cinema that made RoboCop stand out immediately. Again, when something original or unique has been created, expect many imitators; that is when you know you have something special in your hands. Because boy, oh boy, RoboCop spawned so many B-level ripoff films that hilariously plagiarize everything about RoboCop to dismal failure. Haha…. 

If my memory serves me correctly, I think a lot of other movie studios in other countries also ripped off the RoboCop original concept, which is now an IP owned by Amazon MGM Studios. Were we one of them? Haha…. I don’t know, but I hope not, but that only speaks of the global impact that RoboCop had on everyone. But, of course, plagiarism is plagiarism, and there is no excuse for that ever. On a brighter note, it’s hard to believe it has been that long, and people not only still remember the first RoboCop movie but also understand that a movie like this could not have been made in any other decade but the ’80s.

Think about it. It is no accident or coincidence that more and more iconic or classic movies from ’80s cinema are being re-explored, re-developed, or re-introduced to modern moviegoers because beyond nostalgia, many cinematic qualities have made them movies that people will never get tired of watching. Certainly, RoboCop belongs to that esteemed selection of older IPs that would do very well today if it is done right and with honor for the source material and not woke. Hopefully, Amazon MGM Studios gets the job done with the currently in-production RoboCop reboot series. 

We’ll all have to wait and see how the RoboCop reboot series performs, but if Peter Weller reprises his role, even if it is just lending his voice, de-aging is utilized, or other means are used, then this will be a sure winner and worthy of following the standard set by the first RoboCop movie that the other sequels, series, and reboot movie could not achieve.