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

Sony Pictures is set to bring Robert A. Heinlein's iconic 1959 military sci-fi novel, Starship Troopers, back to the big screen with a new adaptation. According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety, Neill Blomkamp, renowned for his work on films like District 9, Elysium, and Chappie, has been tapped to write and direct this reboot. This project, under Sony's Columbia Pictures, is not connected to Paul Verhoeven's 1997 cult classic, which was a satirical take on the original novel.

The announcement of Blomkamp's involvement comes at a curious time, as Sony recently unveiled plans for a live-action adaptation of the popular PlayStation game Helldivers. Developed by Arrowhead, Helldivers draws heavy inspiration from Verhoeven's Starship Troopers, featuring soldiers fighting for a satirical fascist regime dubbed Super Earth against alien bugs and other foes, all while promoting the concepts of Liberty and Managed Democracy.

Sony now finds itself in a unique position, with both the new Starship Troopers and Helldivers films in development. However, The Hollywood Reporter clarifies that Blomkamp's version aims to stay true to Heinlein's original novel, which differs significantly in tone and theme from Verhoeven's satirical adaptation. Heinlein's work is often interpreted as promoting the very ideals that Verhoeven's film critiques.

As of now, neither the new Starship Troopers nor the Helldivers movie has a confirmed release date, indicating that fans may have to wait a while to see these projects come to fruition. Blomkamp's most recent directorial effort was Sony's Gran Turismo, a film based on the acclaimed PlayStation driving simulation series.