Although the first Robocop movie is considered a 1980s sci-fi cinematic classic, its 1990 and 1993 sequels weren't met with nearly the same amount of critical lauding (to put it lightly). Then a Robocop reboot came out in 2014, and while it certainly wasn't a train wreck by any stretch of the imagination, it also failed to relaunch the franchise in an effective way. Now with 2018 being a few weeks old, original Robocop writer Ed Neumeier has revealed that he's working on new movie centered on the cyborg law enforcement officer, but it won't be a sequel to the reboot or even a continuation of the earlier Robocop sequels. When asked for details about this new entry, Neumeier responded:
Well, here's what I'll say. We're not supposed to say too much. 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.
Although it was reported back in late 2015 that there were still plans to make a sequel to the Robocop reboot, there haven't been any updates since then. Now with Ed Neumeier's revelation to Zeitgeist Entertainment Magazine, it looks like that idea has been tossed aside in favor of returning to the original Robocop continuity, but rather than follow up on where Robocop 3 left off, it will instead pick up after 1987's Robocop. It's unclear if this means Peter Weller will reprise Robocop or if this will follow a new protagonist with Weller playing a mentor-like role, but either way, if you like the original Robocop movie, then this news should come as a welcome surprise.
Although sequels in a movie series traditionally follow one after another, it's not unheard of for certain series to ignore specific predecessors so as not to be creatively restrained. For instance, 2006's Superman Returns didn't factor in the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. More recent examples include this year's Halloween movie only being a sequel to the original 1978 movie of the same name, while the next Terminator movie will only be following after the original two James Cameron-helmed installments. As things stand now, it doesn't sound like the new Robocop movie has been officially greenlit, but if MGM likes what Ed Neumeier creates, then no doubt the studio won't waste anytime putting it into production.
Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on how this new Robocop movie is developing. In the meantime, you can consult with our 2018 release schedule to find out what movies will hit theaters this year.
