Hollywood’s obsession with IP strikes again. Hey, they have unsuccessfully remade two Paul Verhoeven films, why not put the old “third times the charm” adage to the test? While Verhoeven struggles to secure funding for Young Sinner, according to ScreenGeek, Sony is developing a remake of Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers.
The original follows Johnny Rico (played by Casper Van Dien), a patriot who joins the Mobile Infantry to battle giant alien bugs. As the war intensifies, he rises through the ranks, fully embracing the ideology of duty, citizenship, and sacrifice.
As Starship Troopers has grown into a well-known franchise, particularly in the gaming world, it makes sense that Sony wants to capitalize on its popularity, but is this necessary? I’m not one who always hates on the thought of remakes right away, but Verhoeven is a special kind of cat whose signature mix of social satire, sex, and extreme violence is nearly impossible to replicate. I doubt we are getting any coed shower scenes. Hollywood has already tried, and it didn’t go well.
The remakes of RoboCop (2014) and Total Recall (2012), both Verhoeven sci-fi classics, failed miserably. Both were critical failures that flopped at the box office. Despite this, Sony seems determined to try again.
Verhoeven himself wasn’t impressed. In a recent interview, he admitted he had seen both remakes and found them disappointing and frustrating. And who can blame him? They lacked the original films’ satirical edge and self-awareness.
What do you think of another Verhoeven classic getting remade? Who would you pick to direct this?
