After Announcing a Helldivers Movie, Sony Is Now Officially Rebooting Starship Troopers

Sony is reportedly developing a new reboot of the Starship Troopers franchise, with acclaimed director Neill Blomkamp, known for films like District 9, Elysium, and Chappie, set to write and direct. This new project, announced by The Hollywood Reporter and confirmed by Deadline and Variety, will be a fresh adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 military sci-fi novel, produced by Sony's Columbia Pictures.

This upcoming film is distinct from Paul Verhoeven's 1997 cult classic, which offered a satirical take on Heinlein's work. Blomkamp's version aims to return to the source material, exploring the novel's themes and narrative more directly.

Interestingly, Sony's decision to greenlight this project comes shortly after announcing a live-action adaptation of the popular PlayStation game Helldivers, which draws significant inspiration from Verhoeven's Starship Troopers. Helldivers features soldiers fighting for a satirical fascist regime against alien bugs, echoing the themes of Verhoeven's film. This raises questions about potential competition between the two projects within Sony's portfolio.

Blomkamp's involvement in the new Starship Troopers film is intriguing, especially considering his recent work on Sony's Gran Turismo, an adaptation of the PlayStation driving simulation series. However, neither the new Starship Troopers nor the Helldivers movie has a confirmed release date, suggesting fans may have to wait a while before seeing these projects come to fruition.

Heinlein's original novel, which differs significantly in tone from Verhoeven's adaptation, is often interpreted as promoting the very ideals that the 1997 film satirized. Blomkamp's approach to the material could offer a fresh perspective on these themes, potentially appealing to both fans of the book and those intrigued by the franchise's cinematic history.