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 project, backed by Sony's Columbia Pictures, is a fresh adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 military sci-fi novel, and is not connected to Paul Verhoeven's 1997 cult classic that satirized the source material.

The news of Blomkamp's involvement comes as a surprise, especially since Sony recently announced a live-action adaptation of "Helldivers," a PlayStation Studios game that draws heavy inspiration from Verhoeven's "Starship Troopers." In "Helldivers," players take on the role of expendable soldiers fighting to protect a satirical fascist regime called Super Earth from various alien threats, all while promoting the concepts of Liberty and Managed Democracy.

With both the new "Starship Troopers" and "Helldivers" movies in development, Sony faces the challenge of differentiating these projects. However, The Hollywood Reporter clarifies that Blomkamp's vision is a return to Heinlein's original novel, which differs significantly in tone from Verhoeven's satirical take. Many interpret Heinlein's book as promoting the very ideals that Verhoeven's film mocks.

As of now, neither the new "Starship Troopers" nor the "Helldivers" film has a confirmed release date, suggesting that fans may need to wait a while before seeing these projects come to fruition. Blomkamp's most recent work was "Gran Turismo," a film adaptation of the popular PlayStation driving simulation series, also produced by Sony.