Neill Blomkamp is doing his part. The “District 9” and “Chappie” filmmaker is attached to write and direct a new film adaptation of “Starship Troopers,” the 1959 sci-fi novel by Robert A. Heinlein that was memorably brought to theaters by director Paul Verhoeven with the 1997 satirical spectacle of the same name. The new project comes from Sony‘s Columbia Pictures.
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While exact plot details remain closely guarded, the new “Starship Troopers” is said to draw inspiration from Heinlein’s original military story, rather than pulling from the fascist send-up that characterized Verhoeven’s adaptation. Along with writing and directing, Blomkamp is producing with his longtime collaborator Terri Tatchell.
The project marks a reunion for the filmmaker and the studio. Sony last recruited Blomkamp for “Gran Turismo,” an adaptation of a racing video game franchise that originated from the company’s PlayStation video game division. Released in August 2023, the film grossed $120 million in worldwide theatrical sales against a $60 million production budget.
Blomkamp’s defining feature remains his 2009 debut, “District 9,” an immigration parable set among a colony of aliens in South Africa. That film earned four Oscar nominations, including picture and adapted screenplay for Blomkamp and Tatchell. Blomkamp went on to forge his brand in realistic, socially minded sci-fi with two follow-ups: the action spectacle “Elysium” and the tale of a Die Antwoord-raised rapping robot “Chappie.”
The Hollywood Reporter was first to report on the reboot.
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