# Starship Troopers Reboot: "More Faithful To The Source Material"



## Swarmy (Jul 14, 2012)

What we know so far:


*Spoiler*: __ 





			
				Wikipedia said:
			
		

> In December 2011, Moritz announced plans to produce a reboot of the Starship Troopers film franchise; *this reboot is said to be more faithful to the source material than the previous films*, which feature little in common with the original novel apart from the general setting and character names.







> Somewhere, buried deep in the heart of Hollywood, a pulsing brain bug is slowly making plans to remake every move ever produced. Well, the image is fitting at least, since someone is now planning to tackle a new version of Starship Troopers.
> 
> First splattering across our screens in 1997, Starship Troopers remains one of the most fun entries in the Paul Verhoeven blood, boobs ?n? bombs era that also spawned the likes of Basic Instinct, RoboCop and Showgirls (we didn?t say the bombs were all on screen, now did we?) For all its OTT action, Troopers managed to be a satire of Robert Heinlein-style sci-fi, albeit with a subtlety bypass, since Verhoeven?s Hollywood output wouldn?t know what subtlety meant even if it had Word Of The Day toilet paper.
> 
> ...







> ?Starship Troopers? Reboot Officially In The Works
> 
> It?s apparently only a matter of time before director Paul Verhoeven?s entire filmography (not to mention, every cult sci-fi title from the 1980s and ?90s) gets rebooted for the 21st century.
> 
> ...







Seems we'll finally see the power armor in action


----------



## TetraVaal (Jul 14, 2012)

I heard it's going to be PG-13. Pass.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 14, 2012)

TetraVaal said:


> I heard it's going to be PG-13. Pass.



Source? 

If they really stay true to the novel there will be less gore since one marine is like a whole army with its power armor suit and takes down a lot of bugs.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 14, 2012)

Found it:



> Starship Troopers reboot to be less violent and more patriotic?would you like to know more?
> 
> In the previous newsreel regarding the planned reboot of Starship Troopers, we learned that, as with the similar remakes of Total Recall and RoboCop, the new version would strip away nearly all of Paul Verhoeven's subversive irony, something that is, after all, what keeps the Dutch mired in sloth, stuffing their smirking faces with sauerkraut and chuckling about "subtext" in their hash bars and sex clubs. Recently producer Toby Jaffe?who was also partly responsible for cutting the satirical chaff from Total Recall, until he got to the Len Wiseman action movie that was always at its center, apparently?reaffirmed to Empire that *his Starship Troopers would be more faithful to both Robert Heinlein's original novel and American values by being less violent, "grounded," and way more patriotic*. And not patriotic in an ironic way that the Dutch would like.
> 
> "The more expensive a film is, the harder it is now to make it that violent," Jaffe said by way of explaining how *the revamped Starship Troopers would eschew the darkly comic, over-the-top gore that arguably made anyone remember Starship Troopers in the first place, instead aiming for a softer PG-13 rating that would make it more marketable and therefore better*. And in addition to new technology that will allow them to include the armored exoskeletons known as Jump Suits, new advancements in ignoring irony will also allow Jaffe and Co. to make a straightforward translation of Heinlein's ode to militarism, without getting hung up on those longstanding questions of whether it's an oversimplified glorification of war or an endorsement of fascism. "Y?know, one man?s fascism is another man?s patriotism," Jaffe says with no hint of sarcasm, as that sort of thing isn't done anymore. Anyway, with all the violence and satire finally out of the way, the film can concentrate on the well-rounded characters that Heinlein didn't create.





I have mixed feelings right now


----------



## MartialHorror (Jul 14, 2012)

More of that "More faithful to the source material" bullshit. *Sigh* when shall people learn?


----------



## Mider T (Jul 14, 2012)

Good, the book is great.


----------



## TetraVaal (Jul 14, 2012)

MartialHorror said:


> More of that "More faithful to the source material" bullshit. *Sigh* when shall people learn?



Just like how Len Wiseman's 'Total Recall' is more faithful to the source material than Verhoeven's version. 

This "reboot" is going to suck. The fact that it will be PG-13 will result in an inevitable disaster. There is nothing remotely PG-13 about the source material, especially from a thematic aspect.


----------



## MartialHorror (Jul 14, 2012)

If the original "Total Recall" (and for that matter, the first "Starship Troopers") broke away from the source material, then I have to presume that they're better than the books or whatever that spawned them. 

Ugh, I don't remember a lot of the first movie because it has been years since I've seen it, but half of the reason it stood out at all is that it was one of the few hard R blockbusters of that magnitude that I've ever seen. Troopers fighting aliens isn't that unique. But watching them get their brains sucked out and their bodies ripped apart? Not too many movies can boast that. 

But the studio will probably get away with it with the source material claim, and fanboys will lap that shit up.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 14, 2012)

I don't like the idea that it'll be more patriotic..... Heck the novel surely wasn't patriotic


----------



## TetraVaal (Jul 14, 2012)

Verhoeven had a unique way of taking the source material of excellent authors, yet depicting his own unique versions of it that allowed them to stand on their own legs.

Both 'We Can Remember it For You Wholesale' and 'Starship Troopers' are EXCELLENT reads--but this bullshit that the reboots will be "more faithful to the source material" is a marketing scam being used to pull the wool over everybody's eyes.


----------



## Rukia (Jul 14, 2012)

I actually sort of liked the first film.


----------



## TetraVaal (Jul 14, 2012)

Rukia said:


> I actually sort of liked the first film.



I wouldn't want to meet the poor sap that didn't.

You could argue that 'Starship Troopers' is Verhoeven's most underrated flick after 'Showgirls.'


----------



## Rukia (Jul 14, 2012)

I can't really argue objectively about Verhoeven.  I pretty much give him a lifetime pass because of Robocop and Total Recall.


----------



## MartialHorror (Jul 14, 2012)

TetraVaal said:


> Both 'We Can Remember it For You Wholesale' and 'Starship Troopers' are EXCELLENT reads--but this bullshit that the reboots will be "more faithful to the source material" is a marketing scam being used to pull the wool over everybody's eyes.



THANK YOU! But trying to argue this to fanboys is like arguing with a wall. They don't care that they're being duped and are potentially ruining cinema more than the remakes themselves.



> I actually sort of liked the first film.



I adored it as a kid, primarily because of the sleaze. Need to see it again. I also need to check out the sequels at some point. They should be gloriously awful. 

By the way, aren't they making a CG film too?


----------



## TetraVaal (Jul 14, 2012)

Rukia said:


> I can't really argue objectively about Verhoeven.  I pretty much give him a lifetime pass because of Robocop and Total Recall.



HAHAHAHA, YOU THINK THIS THE REAL QUAID?

IT IS!


----------



## Rukia (Jul 14, 2012)

I heard the Pacific Rim panel was brilliant.


----------



## TetraVaal (Jul 14, 2012)

Rukia said:


> I heard the Pacific Rim panel was brilliant.



All reports seem to indicate such, but I was put off by two descriptions:

1.) one of the mechs seem to look like a photoreal, live action version of the "Iron Giant."

2.) The mechs are controlled with some sort off DDR dance movements. 

But overall, I guess the footage was incredibly HUGE in scope. I'm still amped, just moderately disappointed with those two things.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 14, 2012)

MartialHorror said:


> By the way, aren't they making a CG film too?


----------



## Rukia (Jul 14, 2012)

TetraVaal said:


> Both 'We Can Remember it For You Wholesale' and 'Starship Troopers' are EXCELLENT reads--but this bullshit that the reboots will be "more faithful to the source material" is a marketing scam being used to pull the wool over everybody's eyes.


That is just another reason we should hope both Elysium and Pacific Rim deliver.


----------



## TetraVaal (Jul 14, 2012)

Rukia said:


> That is just another reason we should hope both Elysium and Pacific Rim deliver.



If you have time to spare, check out the stuff I posted from the 'Elysium' panel. There is some really promising shit to take away from it. The authenticity of the shooting locations makes me incredibly happy. I'm also blown away by the fact that Blomkamp came up with EVERYTHING in that movie. The space habitat--the weapons--the vehicles--the tech; EVERYTHING. I hope his graphic novel for the film is simultaneously released with the movie in March.


----------



## Huntress (Jul 14, 2012)

Rukia said:


> I actually sort of liked the first film.



I love the film. Its one of those "FUCK YEAH" movies.  
The reboot will suck, why must everything be PG13


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 14, 2012)

PaperAngel said:


> The reboot will suck, why must everything be PG13



Money


----------



## MartialHorror (Jul 14, 2012)

Which is why it will probably suck. I understand that the movie industry is a business, but when movies are 100% made only to make money, they are doomed to fail. They cater to the norm, take no risks, rely on cliches and they almost always resort to the PG-13 rating. 

The "Total Recall" remake is an even more blatant example. The original film is unique, creative and daring. Like it or not, people remember it. But so far, the new one looks just like every other big budgeted, futuristic sci-fi movie ever made. Honestly, they probably could've called it "Minority Report 2".

But part of me can't blame the studios for exploiting an audience that is perfectly cool with being exploited. Make that statement, alter a thing or two that is closer to the source and your vindicated from the remake backlash. That's how brilliantly retarded the "Closer to the source material" claim is. It makes....MartialHorror......ANGRY! RAWR!


----------



## Huey Freeman (Jul 14, 2012)

Fucking Prometheus all over again. First off I highly doubt this will be faithful to the book. I marauder could have taken out like 100 bugs before dying if he ran out of ammo.


----------



## Mider T (Jul 14, 2012)

MartialHorror said:


> Which is why it will probably suck. I understand that the movie industry is a business, but when movies are 100% made only to make money, they are doomed to fail. They cater to the norm, take no risks, rely on cliches and they almost always resort to the PG-13 rating.
> 
> The "Total Recall" remake is an even more blatant example. The original film is unique, creative and daring. Like it or not, people remember it. But so far, the new one looks just like every other big budgeted, futuristic sci-fi movie ever made. Honestly, they probably could've called it "Minority Report 2".
> 
> But part of me can't blame the studios for exploiting an audience that is perfectly cool with being exploited. Make that statement, alter a thing or two that is closer to the source and your vindicated from the remake backlash. That's how brilliantly retarded the "Closer to the source material" claim is. It makes....MartialHorror......ANGRY! RAWR!



Want some cheese with that whine?


----------



## Rukia (Jul 14, 2012)

Total Recall is just a confusing project.  I don't know what the studio was thinking with that budget.  250 million?  Really?  How on earth did they ever expect to turn a profit?  I think this is an even more foolish investment than John Carter.


----------



## Huey Freeman (Jul 14, 2012)

Rukia said:


> Total Recall is just a confusing project.  I don't know what the studio was thinking with that budget.  250 million?  Really?  How on earth did they ever expect to turn a profit?  I think this is an even more foolish investment than John Carter.



Do you see the two women they hired as the major female roles.


----------



## TetraVaal (Jul 14, 2012)

$250 million can be invested into some generic, half-assed attempt at "respecting the source material" with Wiseman's Recall--yet Duncan Jones can't even get $25 million to fund 'Mute.'

Hollywood blows harder than ever these days.


----------



## Huey Freeman (Jul 14, 2012)

It is called milking the cow, the pick a random franchise with a huge fanbase from a jar and just make a movie about it.


----------



## Rukia (Jul 14, 2012)

Danger Doom said:


> Do you see the two women they hired as the major female roles.


Hollywood definitely overestimated their Box Office power if they are supposed to be the hook.

Colin Farrell was recently in the decent Fright Night flick.  No one went to see it.  Beckinsale was in Contraband.  No one went to see that.  We don't need to break down Biel's record.  Biel is fit.  She has a great body.  But she is a butterface and a lousy actress.

Total Recall is going to be a massive flop domestically.  The overseas crowd better flock to it or it will be one of the biggest busts of the year.


----------



## Huey Freeman (Jul 14, 2012)

Rukia said:


> Hollywood definitely overestimated their Box Office power if they are supposed to be the hook.
> 
> Colin Farrell was recently in the decent Fright Night flick.  No one went to see it.  Beckinsale was in Contraband.  No one went to see that.  We don't need to break down Biel's record.  Biel is fit.  She has a great body.  But she is a butterface and a lousy actress.
> 
> Total Recall is going to be a massive flop domestically.  The overseas crowd better flock to it or it will be one of the biggest busts of the year.



All I know is if they remake Robot Jocks, Im going hunting.


----------



## MartialHorror (Jul 14, 2012)

Mider T said:


> Want some cheese with that whine?



Insightful posts as always. 

Edit: Rukia, while I agree that it will probably bomb, "Contraband" did do fairly well. It surprised me consider Wahlberg's lack of box office draw and the fact it looked like (and was) a generic actioner.



> $250 million can be invested into some generic, half-assed attempt at "respecting the source material" with Wiseman's Recall--yet Duncan Jones can't even get $25 million to fund 'Mute.'
> 
> Hollywood blows harder than ever these days.



I blame Mider T.


----------



## Mider T (Jul 15, 2012)

lol Don't blame me.  Everyone knows what Total Recall is?  How many people know what Mute is?  Not many, where are the promotions and such?  Hell how many knew what Moon was?


----------



## TSC (Jul 15, 2012)

MartialHorror said:


> Which is why it will probably suck. I understand that the movie industry is a business, but when movies are 100% made only to make money, they are doomed to fail. They cater to the norm, take no risks, rely on cliches and they almost always resort to the PG-13 rating.
> 
> The "Total Recall" remake is an even more blatant example. The original film is unique, creative and daring. Like it or not, people remember it. But so far, the new one looks just like every other big budgeted, futuristic sci-fi movie ever made. Honestly, they probably could've called it "Minority Report 2".
> 
> But part of me can't blame the studios for exploiting an audience that is perfectly cool with being exploited. Make that statement, alter a thing or two that is closer to the source and your vindicated from the remake backlash. That's how brilliantly retarded the "Closer to the source material" claim is. It makes....MartialHorror......ANGRY! RAWR!



Agree. This is probably why people like me and Tetra always have prefer the sci-fi movies of the 80's because they made sci-fi done right and made them distinguish enough to become iconic and timeless on it's own standing. One thing I never really like with current hollywood sci-fi is how "generic", as tetra puts it, they look. In fact taking Star Wars is really good example or sign of this. Compare the visuals and creative design thinking between the two are.

It same with many of these sci-fi type movies as Total Recall is now showing us.


Also, I like that Paul Verhoeven, Ridley Scott, and James Cameron made excellent sci-fi movies that became great classic and become well known( RoboCop, Total Recall, Alien, Blade Runner, Aliens, Terminator/Termminator 2)


----------



## Taleran (Jul 15, 2012)

Verhoven made that movie what it was the book was irrelevant and since the content of the book has been sublimated into popular culture (just look at all futuristic FPS games) so heavily that it will loose all impact and be another boring summer movie.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 15, 2012)

Who knows maybe the movie might turn out ok, I don't like the idea that it'll be less violent and more patriotic but if they bring us the power suits and hopefully this time intelligent bugs with weapons (just liike in the book) it might be enjoyable.


----------



## Easley (Jul 15, 2012)

The original will take some beating. Just a very well made action flick. Great battle scenes, a good looking cast - guys and gals - and a fantastic soundtrack by Basil Poledouris. It also got the military/fascist balance spot on. Neil Patrick Harris is like a pretty boy Joseph Mengele. Awesome.

Being faithful to the source is not always a good thing.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 15, 2012)

The marines had a ridiculous armor (if you can call it an armor) and they showed no strategy when attacking the bugs, only move forward and shoot....


----------



## Taleran (Jul 15, 2012)

That is because the movie was a comedy.


----------



## dream (Jul 15, 2012)

Less violent and more patriotic...going to skip this movie.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 15, 2012)

Taleran said:


> That is because the movie was a comedy.



They cut the armor powered suits only because of the budget and because they wanted to concentrate on the bugs and the special effects.


----------



## Taleran (Jul 15, 2012)

It is more than just the power armor, the movie is a satire and a comedy about War, Fascism and Propaganda. The movie has opposite goals the novel does.


----------



## Wuzzman (Jul 15, 2012)

The movie whole purpose is to make fun of the ideals in the book.

The book is about patriotism, duty, honor, responsibility, basically questioning your purpose as a man. It hits you so hard in the gut that a lesser man would grow a new anus there.


----------



## TSC (Jul 15, 2012)

I hate movies that shove patriotism right in you fucking face. urgh. It's why I hate Transformers movies and why I avoided Battleship like a plague. Only G.I. Joe is the one I can tolerate that considering it fundamentally is about that.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 15, 2012)

Taleran said:


> It is more than just the power armor, the movie is a satire and a comedy about War, Fascism and Propaganda. The movie has opposite goals the novel does.





Wuzzman said:


> The movie whole purpose is to make fun of the ideals in the book.
> 
> The book is about patriotism, duty, honor, responsibility, basically questioning your purpose as a man. It hits you so hard in the gut that a lesser man would grow a new anus there.



The problem here is that you both view this as a remake of the movie rather than an adaptation of the novel.


----------



## MartialHorror (Jul 15, 2012)

Wait, I just remembered something. Wasn't "Starship Troopers" a financial flop? 

ugh, probably will be used as the excuse for the PG-13 rating.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 15, 2012)

They already said the PG-13 rating is to make it more successfull.


----------



## MartialHorror (Jul 15, 2012)

I hope it bombs Battleship style.


----------



## Wuzzman (Jul 18, 2012)

TSC said:


> I hate movies that shove patriotism right in you fucking face. urgh. It's why I hate Transformers movies and why I avoided Battleship like a plague. Only G.I. Joe is the one I can tolerate that considering it fundamentally is about that.



I know your confusing patriotism with a "go army" commercial but its a starship trooper *movie* thread...

@Swarmy

This is a remake of the movie. Go read the novel before you call it an "adaptation."

@Martial

So what made the original starship troopers rated R? The boobs? Its 2012, blood and gore != rated R.


----------



## Huey Freeman (Jul 18, 2012)

I agree with Wuzz on this but I would like to see the mechs/suits from the book.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 18, 2012)

Wuzzman said:


> @Swarmy
> 
> This is a remake of the movie. Go read the novel before you call it an "adaptation."



I have already read the novel years ago, I'm just saying what I heard, this is supposed to be closer to the novel than the movie.


----------



## Wuzzman (Jul 18, 2012)

Sounds like the proper sequel to the movie if anything


----------



## MartialHorror (Jul 18, 2012)

> So what made the original starship troopers rated R? The boobs? Its 2012, blood and gore != rated R.



Just based on memory, I remember seeing a guy ripped apart, people impaled, somebody ripped in half and a guy getting his brain sucked out. A PG-13 movie wouldn't be able to get away with that.


----------



## Swarmy (Jul 18, 2012)

Don't forget the melting people and that epic scene where the guy put his fingers inside the head of a dead guy to see that his brain is missing  Makes me wanna watch the movie again.


----------



## Swarmy (Dec 22, 2012)

Some info I came across about the movie.





> Nerdist: What are you working on now?
> 
> ZS: We are working on many things. We are working on a show for the SyFy channel called The Magicians. We?re waiting to find out whether it?s going to go to pilot or not. We are working on the reboot of Starship Troopers for Sony. It?s not a continuation of the Verhoeven films. It?s actually going back to the Robert Heinlein novel and to being much more a straight ahead, World War II movie in space. We like to say, ?it?s From Here to Eternity in power armor.?
> 
> ...



So the arachnids will actually have spaceships... this movie really do seem to be quite faithful to the novel. Though I must admit I kind of wanted them to keep the aliens more beast-like


----------



## Velocity (Dec 22, 2012)

I'm impressed. Aliens that aren't just really big bugs, but intelligent enough to build and use spaceships. That should make things more interesting.


----------



## Swarmy (Dec 22, 2012)

Velocity said:


> I'm impressed. Aliens that aren't just really big bugs, but intelligent enough to build and use spaceships. That should make things more interesting.



In the novel the bugs (or pseudo-arachnids as they are called) actually have spaceships armed with missiles while the warrior caste have beam based weapons that can penetrate the powered armor used by the marines.

If they really stay true to the source material we are going to see the first original space marines with powered armor suits capable of surviving orbital drop and each armed with mini nukes. After all it's the Starship Troopers novel that first described such technology.

I must say at first I was a bit skeptical about this reboot but I (as well as most people) was viewing it as a remake of the first movie by Verhoeven while I should have considered as an entirely new movie based on the novel. There was a slight chance that they were going to go for a mix of the movie and the novel (similar to the Roughneck series), or in other words keeping the beast-like bugs and only adding the powered armor but they are actually going to introduce the intelligent "spiders" from the novel.

I wonder if they'll include the Skinnies as well


----------



## Swarmy (May 9, 2014)

Bumping this since I found some relatively new info about the remake 



> One of the writers of that Starship Troopers remake just teased the tone of his script, and offered an interesting comparison to an iconic '80s film.
> 
> The new adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's novel, which was first adapted in 1997 by Paul Verhoeven into a film that's since become a cult classic, has been slowly marching toward production for a while now. When last we heard about what will set this flick apart from Verhoeven's, producer Toby Jaffe told us the film will be less violent, less comical and "tonally closer to something like Minority Report" while attempting to be more faithful to Heinlein's book.
> 
> ...


----------



## blacklusterseph004 (May 9, 2014)

Hmm, interesting. I saw the CG movie not too long ago and although it was pretty cool seeing powered armour and Marauder suits, one could see what that medium lacks in terms of delivering the story. It would be cool if some of the designs made it over though. The spacecraft in the CG film were nicely designed.


----------



## Swarmy (Jun 26, 2014)

Annapurna Pictures' Megan Ellison, currently working on the Terminator reboot, hints at a new Starship Troopers... :WOW





> Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures is the company that snapped up the rights to the Terminator franchise a year or two back, and remains involved as director Alan Taylor calls the shots on Terminator: Genesis (if that's still the film's name). Annapurna also has several other big movies to its name, including Foxcatcher and the Seth Rogen co-penned animated movie Sausage Party. Most recently, it released the likes of American Hustle and Her.
> 
> A teasing Tweet from Megan Ellison however suggests that the firm may well now be in the Starship Troopers business. "Would you like to know more?", she Tweeted, a phrase which Starship Troopers fans know only too well. And when sent a picture of the film in reply, she responded with a simple "Yes".
> 
> ...



This remake might actually turn out better than expected


----------



## Swarmy (May 2, 2015)

Some news:

Starship Troopers Might Return as A Movie or TV Series



> During an interview with Hitfix, producer Neal Moritz teased his plans for the franchise, saying:
> 
> ?We?re developing it. We?ve actually been talking about either doing it as a feature or doing it as a television show. So, we?ll see.?


----------



## Velocity (May 3, 2015)

I want a documentary style Starship Troopers, with all the hilariously awful acting and the "Would You Like To Know More?" thing they had going. Admittedly I've only actually seen the first film, but I liked it.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Buskuv (May 4, 2015)

>closer to the source material

So it's going to be military propaganda?


----------



## Swarmy (May 5, 2015)

Clay said:


> I want a documentary style Starship Troopers, with all the hilariously awful acting and the "Would You Like To Know More?" thing they had going. Admittedly I've only actually seen the first film, but I liked it.



Trust me don't watch the sequels, though Invasion was good.



Dr. Boskov Krevorkian said:


> >closer to the source material
> 
> So it's going to be military propaganda?



Actually I think they meant to say more serious, plus they already said the powered armor will be in it also the bugs will have spaceships and weapons just like in the book.

As for the propaganda I don't really know, the novel is truly a risky thing to adapt to a movie or series in our time, if they do it wrong it'll be a disaster...

Honestly I prefer if they do a movie rather than a TV series since it's almost 100% sure that the series will be cancelled just like Roughnecks


----------



## Sanity Check (May 5, 2015)

Starship Troopers Invasion was ok and had something resembling the powered exoskeleton armor from Heinlein's novel.  I think I've seen all the ST films, even the low budget, b-movie, level ones people hate on.  Some of which were actually decent from a storytelling perspective, if I'm remembering right.

.


----------



## Swarmy (May 5, 2015)

The second one was pretty bad though


----------



## Swarmy (Jun 18, 2016)

Some rumors:



> A little bird told me that finally there's some movement on Annapurna Pictures & Skydance reboot of Starship Troopers. They were somehow involved in the last Mission Impossible, Terminator, Star Trek etc so it's all good. I do hope that those RUMOURS are true so watch the leading movie news sites for the official announcements soon.


----------



## Swarmy (Nov 3, 2016)

Finally we have some more news on this reboot!



Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, the writing duo behind the upcoming Zac Efron-Dwayne Johnson 'Baywatch' movie, will write the script for the alien-bug war film

The bugs are coming back.

Columbia Pictures is rebooting _Starship Troopers_, the 1997 science fiction film directed by Paul Verhoeven.

The studio has tapped Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, the writing duo behind the upcoming _Baywatch_ movie, to write the script for a new theatrical feature film that would relaunch a potential franchise.

Neal H. Moritz, the producer behind the _Fast & Furious_ franchise, is producing with Toby Jaffe, with whom he worked on the studio's remake of another 1990s sci-fi pic, _Total Recall._

_Starship Troopers_ is based on the sci-fi war novel by Robert A. Heinlein that told the military life of a soldier named Johnny Rico, who moves up the ranks as mankind fights a war against alien bugs.

Verhoeven took some of the novel's themes and ran with them, making a movie that satirically took on fascism and militarism and echoed propaganda films like Leni Riefenstahl's _Triumph of the Will. _It starred Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards and Neil Patrick Harris.

It was a mixed success at the time of its release but did achieve a cult following. During the DVD boom of the 2000's, it became a mini-franchise for the studio, which produced three direct-to-DVD movies.

The studio is not remaking the film but is said to be going back to the original Heinlein novel for an all-new take. No personnel from the 1997 film are involved.

Matthew Milam is overseeing for the studio.


----------



## RAGING BONER (Nov 3, 2016)

i actually liked the first movie; hope this one is better.


----------



## Swarmy (Nov 4, 2016)

RAGING BONER said:


> i actually liked the first movie; hope this one is better.



Well it's actually more of an adaptation of the novel than a reboot of the movie... So power suits and laser shooting bugs


----------



## Swarmy (Nov 7, 2016)

Seems Casper Van Dien (Johnny Rico in the movie) might be involved with the reboot after all:



I still see no reason to try and make this reboot be distant from the movie as much as possible, I know the movie had almost nothing to do with the novel but come on almost 20 years later it still has a following


----------



## Swarmy (Oct 7, 2022)



Reactions: Informative 1


----------



## Mider T (Oct 9, 2022)

Almost been as much time between this thread being made and the reboot releasing as there was between the first movie and this thread being made.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Canute87 (Oct 11, 2022)

Swarmy said:


>


This is like Starcraft.

Reactions: Winner 1


----------



## Swarmy (Oct 11, 2022)

Canute87 said:


> This is like Starcraft.


----------



## Gianfi (Oct 11, 2022)

Oh nice a reboot. Loved the first movie. I even played the videogame


----------



## Swarmy (Oct 15, 2022)

Gianfi said:


> I even played the videogame


Which one?

The one with the zombies, ancient alien ruins, human-bug hybrids, kaiju-sized queens, mecha suits and kickass music?


----------



## Gianfi (Oct 15, 2022)

Swarmy said:


> Which one?
> 
> The one with the zombies, ancient alien ruins, human-bug hybrids, kaiju-sized queens, mecha suits and kickass music?


It was like shooter


----------



## Swarmy (Oct 15, 2022)

Gianfi said:


> It was like shooter


Oh yeah! That awful game


----------



## Gianfi (Oct 15, 2022)

Swarmy said:


> Oh yeah! That awful game


I liked it because some early missions were similar to the landing sequence of the movie, and I loved that part


----------



## Swarmy (Oct 15, 2022)

Gianfi said:


> I liked it because some early missions were similar to the landing sequence of the movie, and I loved that part


Last good SST game was Infested Planet.


----------



## Zeit (Oct 15, 2022)

I thought the animated movies weren't bad (better than the two live-action sequels anyway), Roughnecks is still the best of the franchise I've seen though (have the book but never read it).

But yeah sounds like it'd just be unironic propaganda vs Verhoeven's firmly tongue-in-cheek take, could work but it would depend a lot on how good of a director, script and CG you get for the bugs themselves.


----------



## Swarmy (Oct 16, 2022)

Zeit said:


> I thought the animated movies weren't bad (better than the two live-action sequels anyway), Roughnecks is still the best of the franchise I've seen though (have the book but never read it).
> 
> But yeah sounds like it'd just be unironic propaganda vs Verhoeven's firmly tongue-in-cheek take, could work but it would depend a lot on how good of a director, script and CG you get for the bugs themselves.


Oh wow I always appreciate it when someone not only remembers Roughnecks but actually acknowledges what it was... the best take on the SST universe after the movie.

I liked Invasion I really did although it was rather bare bones.

Traitor of Mars was just an embarrassment though, it added nothing new and continued to chew on the same concepts and themes as al the previous movie entries.

Roughnecks, the 90s comics which were (then) the true movie sequels and the 2000 game were awesome but also bittersweet because they showed how much potential the setting had... and all they could do going forward was try and outdo the silly satire of the first movie

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Zeit (Oct 16, 2022)

Swarmy said:


> Oh wow I always appreciate it when someone not only remembers Roughnecks but actually acknowledges what it was... the best take on the SST universe after the movie.



Joys of growing up in the 90s.  



Swarmy said:


> I liked Invasion I really did although it was rather bare bones.
> 
> Traitor of Mars was just an embarrassment though, it added nothing new and continued to chew on the same concepts and themes as al the previous movie entries.



Eh I liked ToS more for the visuals (I love the animated version of the MI power armour) than the plot and I still think it's better than both the awful LA sequels.  



Swarmy said:


> Roughnecks, the 90s comics which were (then) the true movie sequels and the 2000 game were awesome but also bittersweet because they showed how much potential the setting had... and all they could do going forward was try and outdo the silly satire of the first movie



I'm still surprised we never got like a good action FPS, or an action-horror like Colonial Marines or a pure-horror game like Alien Isolation, just that RTS game from the 00s.


----------



## Aduro (Oct 16, 2022)

Swarmy said:


> Roughnecks, the 90s comics which were (then) the true movie sequels and the 2000 game were awesome but also bittersweet because they showed how much potential the setting had... and all they could do going forward was try and outdo the silly satire of the first movie


Honestly, all I really want out of Starship Troopers are buddy comedy antics, some boobs, and silly satire of fascism.


----------



## Swarmy (Oct 17, 2022)

Zeit said:


> Joys of growing up in the 90s.


The only bad things about growing up in the 90s are living after the end of the decade and growing up  



Zeit said:


> Eh I liked ToS more for the visuals (I love the animated version of the MI power armour) than the plot and I still think it's better than both the awful LA sequels.


Agreed, the new power armour is sweet as hell!








The Bug redesigns though? Not a big fan. They feel more... rubbery less shiny and hard-shell looking. Roughnecks went full on weird organic but it was done in a consistent way while in both Invasion and ToM the new additions to the Arachnid Empire look and feel out of place. Also who the fuck hates the original Tanker design so much that it hasn't been reused since? WHO???

Also I might get some slack from other SST fans (or you in this case) but I like SST2 for what it is or rather what it tried to achieve. Looking at it as a self-contained little horror side story it's enjoyable and the new parasitic Bug actually looks amazing. That doesn't save the movie from being one of the biggest letdowns in movie sequel history...



Zeit said:


> I'm still surprised we never got like a good action FPS, or an action-horror like Colonial Marines or a pure-horror game like Alien Isolation, just that RTS game from the 00s.


The franchise has been on the milking table since SST3. I think that's when they realised they can "please" the fans eternally by just retelling the original movie over and over and over fan service after fan service after...  



Aduro said:


> Honestly, all I really want out of Starship Troopers are buddy comedy antics, some boobs, and silly satire of fascism.





_*It's a good day to die...*_

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Zeit (Oct 17, 2022)

Swarmy said:


> The only bad things about growing up in the 90s are living after the end of the decade and growing up



Yup.  



Swarmy said:


> Agreed, the new power armour is sweet as hell!



Damn I don't remember that black one in the second last picture, that's hype.



Swarmy said:


> The Bug redesigns though? Not a big fan. They feel more... rubbery less shiny and hard-shell looking. Roughnecks went full on weird organic but it was done in a consistent way while in both Invasion and ToM the new additions to the Arachnid Empire look and feel out of place. Also who the fuck hates the original Tanker design so much that it hasn't been reused since? WHO???



Fair point, I suppose I wasn't looking at them that closely although even with the humans there's was a bit of iffy texturing going on.



Swarmy said:


> Also I might get some slack from other SST fans (or you in this case) but I like SST2 for what it is or rather what it tried to achieve. Looking at it as a self-contained little horror side story it's enjoyable and the new parasitic Bug actually looks amazing. That doesn't save the movie from being one of the biggest letdowns in movie sequel history...



I haven't watched SST2 in over a decade now but my recollection is just didn't make a lot of sense in the wider context and some of the dialogue was just dreadful even by SST standards. I also want to say it looked noticeably "cheaper" in terms of production values.



Swarmy said:


> The franchise has been on the milking table since SST3. I think that's when they realised they can "please" the fans eternally by just retelling the original movie over and over and over fan service after fan service after...



True, still seems weird though, I mean the franchise seems perfect for a four-player squad-survival type game, literally just throw Fat Shark some money and go "give us Vermintide but with Bugs instead".


----------



## Swarmy (Oct 17, 2022)

Zeit said:


> Yup.


Cheer up! Society is in the process of regressing right now so we might just wake up in the 90s once more one morning... or the 1900s, who knows!



Zeit said:


> Damn I don't remember that black one in the second last picture, that's hype.


That's because it wasn't used in the movie, it remained just a concept and from what I see one the director used in Appleseed in a way.



Zeit said:


> Fair point, I suppose I wasn't looking at them that closely although even with the humans there's was a bit of iffy texturing going on.


No not just the textures, there's literally a soft almost skin-like covering to them... very bizarre and off-putting.



Zeit said:


> I haven't watched SST2 in over a decade now but my recollection is just didn't make a lot of sense in the wider context and some of the dialogue was just dreadful even by SST standards. I also want to say it looked noticeably "cheaper" in terms of production values.


General story is Phil Tippett wanted to flex his directorial muscles and was handed the sequel, something I find both hilarious and somewhat awesome. You might have noticed that the movie has a certain mixed quality to it? The Bugs look decent, compared with the ones in SST3 they even look top notch, it's the absolutely abysmal low budget that forced certain questionable decisions. For what it's worth it's a nice little side story.



Zeit said:


> True, still seems weird though, I mean the franchise seems perfect for a four-player squad-survival type game, literally just throw Fat Shark some money and go "give us Vermintide but with Bugs instead".


The best SST works after Roughnecks, Terran Ascendancy and the RPG are sadly all not officially SST related. Infested Planet is the only recent strategy game I feel to be 98% SST with a bit of a StarCraft on top. Blue Gender is basically an anime SST done right. But overall SST's DNA is all over fiction and entertainment, quite the legacy for a "failed" movie and a "fascist" 50s novel, no?

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Zeit (Oct 17, 2022)

Swarmy said:


> That's because it wasn't used in the movie, it remained just a concept and from what I see one the director used in Appleseed in a way.



I was actually going to say it kinda reminded me of the newer Appleseed stuff.



Swarmy said:


> No not just the textures, there's literally a soft almost skin-like covering to them... very bizarre and off-putting.



Fair, I haven't watched them in a while so I'll just take your word for it. Might give Invasion another watch tomorrow evening.



Swarmy said:


> General story is Phil Tippett wanted to flex his directorial muscles and was handed the sequel, something I find both hilarious and somewhat awesome. You might have noticed that the movie has a certain mixed quality to it? The Bugs look decent, compared with the ones in SST3 they even look top notch, it's the absolutely abysmal low budget that forced certain questionable decisions. For what it's worth it's a nice little side story.



Wow I didn't know that, holy hell it's weird to think Tippett did it but yeah it makes some sense in context.



Swarmy said:


> The best SST works after Roughnecks, Terran Ascendancy and the RPG are sadly all not officially SST related. Infested Planet is the only recent strategy game I feel to be 98% SST with a bit of a StarCraft on top. Blue Gender is basically an anime SST done right. But overall SST's DNA is all over fiction and entertainment, quite the legacy for a "failed" movie and a "fascist" 50s novel, no?



Definitely. Blue Gender is on my list of stuff to watch at some point, didn't know it was influenced by SST.


----------



## Swarmy (Oct 18, 2022)

Zeit said:


> I was actually going to say it kinda reminded me of the newer Appleseed stuff.


Same director  



Zeit said:


> Fair, I haven't watched them in a while so I'll just take your word for it. Might give Invasion another watch tomorrow evening.






*VS*






Tell me which one looks like it can stab slice stabby stabby better?  



Zeit said:


> Wow I didn't know that, holy hell it's weird to think Tippett did it but yeah it makes some sense in context.


He's a cool guy, even answered my silly question on FB if the Bugs are true arthropods  



Zeit said:


> Definitely. Blue Gender is on my list of stuff to watch at some point, didn't know it was influenced by SST.


Oh trust me there's a hint/easter egg at one point

Reactions: Like 1


----------

