I'm Excited For The Starship Troopers Reboot, But I Also Have Questions

When it comes to great ‘90s action movies, Starship Troopers was unlike anything else. Director Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein’s sci-fi military novel was full of violence, drama, massive bugs, and some of the best satire of the decade. Nearly 30 years later, Neill Blomkamp is hard at work preparing an adaptation of his own, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what the District 9 filmmaker has in store for us.

Not a lot has been revealed about the upcoming sci-fi movie, but what’s been shared makes me believe it won’t be anything like Verhoeven’s wild, campy, and biting critique of militaristic societies. And though I’m stoked to see what’s going to happen with the franchise, at the same time, I have so many questions.

Would you like to know more?

The 1997 Starship Troopers Movie Is One Of My Favorite Sci-Fi Flicks And Satires

Though I didn’t totally get Starship Troopers when I first saw it at a friend’s sleepover back in the fourth grade, I’ve loved that odd, campy, and ultraviolet movie for the better part of 30 years now. Since then, it’s become one of my all-time favorite sci-fi flicks and, honestly, one of the best satires to ever hit the big screen.

I love Verhoeven’s attack on fascism, his lampooning of overly confident military leaders, and the way he and the cast found a way to do it all while also convincing a large portion of moviegoers that this was going to be a “man vs. bug” type affair. Though that’s true in the fact that the United Citizen Federation takes on the Arachnids in bloody combat, there’s so much more to the movie.

But What Will This New Adaptation Be Like Since It's Taking A More Accurate Approach To The Original Book?

Okay, you can imagine how excited I was to read a Variety report in March 2025 that Neill Blomkamp was going to be writing and directing a Starship Troopers reboot. I was so stoked to hear that the guy behind one of the best movies from the 2000s (District 9) was going to be turning his attention to one of my childhood favorites. However, I read a few lines down that this upcoming book-to-screen adaptation would be more faithful to the source material than the 1997 movie I grew up watching.

For those who aren’t aware, the previous adaptation took some liberties with the source material. All the major plot points were there, but Verhoeven made sure to sneak in some not-so-subtle digs at the original book and its supposed championing of fascism and societies where everyday citizens don’t have access to voting or procreation rights unless they complete federal service, aka fighting in the military in some capacity. Will any of that social commentary be in this new version, or will we be getting a more grounded and gritty sci-fi thriller?

I'm Sure The Action And Creature Effects Will Be Great, But What About The Tone?

If Neill Blomkamp’s Starship Troopers is taking a more straightforward approach to the story, does that mean we’re not going to be seeing all those great fake ads throughout its runtime? You can’t have Starship Troopers without the classic “I’m doing my part” propaganda videos, right? RIGHT? And that brings me to a bigger question: what’s the tone going to be like?

Like other great Paul Verhoeven movies, this 1997 space-traveling military flick was silly above everything, which doesn’t really seem to be something that Neill Blomkamp has done a lot of in the past. Don’t get me wrong, the man’s not making boring, drab, or overly dark sci-fi thrillers without social commentary, but I’m genuinely interested in seeing how he pulls it off.

Though I’m not sure about the tone, I have full faith in Blomkamp and his team to create some eye-popping creature effects that would make Phil Tippett proud. I’m not worried about the action either, as the filmmaker has proven time and time again, even in non-sci-fi films like Gran Turismo, that he knows how to craft an exciting set piece.

Are We Going To Be Getting More Awesome Mech Suits From Neill Blomkamp?

There’s a lot to love about Neill Blomkamp’s sci-fi movies, but one thing I always come back to is the filmmaker’s use of mech and mech suits. The Exosuit from District 9, the Kruger Hulc Suit from Elysium, and even the design of the titular character in Chappie all looked great. So, are we going to get similar types of suits and robots in his new Starship Troopers movie? God, I hope so!

Just imagine the invasion of Klendathu with some wild ass robots, grunts wearing exoskeletons, and other crazy tech running around squashing (and getting squashed) by giant bugs from the other end of the universe. I know I have some reservations, but shut up and take my money.

Lastly, Is This Going To Happen Or Do We Have Another Alien Or RoboCop Situation On Our Hands?

So, do I think Rick and Jim will have a happy reunion and run along the beaches of Thailand as they make up for lost time if my theory is right? No, but I also don’t think their long-anticipated meeting will end in bloodshed. Yeah, Rick is packing a gun, decades of suppressed trauma, and some anger that’s boiling over, but we’re talking about a show that is full of red herrings.

However, I could be wrong about the bloodshed, about Rick and Jim’s relationship, and the direction of this incredibly intense and engaging storyline. I guess I’ll just have to tune in and watch the final two episodes of The White Lotus Season 3 to find out. But hey, that’s not so bad…

I’ll be checking all the normal places to find more information about Starship Troopers in the coming weeks and months because this is one reboot I just can’t wait to see.