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 news comes from credible sources including The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety.

This new adaptation will be a fresh take on Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 military sci-fi novel, Starship Troopers, and is being produced by Sony's Columbia Pictures. It is important to note that this project is not connected to Paul Verhoeven's 1997 cult classic, which was a satirical take on the source material.

Interestingly, Sony's decision to move forward with Blomkamp’s Starship Troopers comes shortly after announcing a live-action adaptation of the popular PlayStation game Helldivers, which itself draws significant inspiration from Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers. Helldivers features soldiers fighting for a satirical fascist regime dubbed Super Earth, echoing themes and aesthetics from Verhoeven's film.

This could potentially set up a unique scenario where Sony has two films, Starship Troopers and Helldivers, which, while different in their approach to the source material, share thematic elements. The Hollywood Reporter clarified that Blomkamp’s project will focus on a more faithful adaptation of Heinlein's novel, which differs significantly in tone and message from Verhoeven's satirical interpretation.

Neither the new Starship Troopers nor the Helldivers film has a confirmed release date yet, suggesting that fans might have to wait a while before seeing these projects come to fruition. Blomkamp's most recent work was with Sony on the film adaptation of the Gran Turismo video game series.