Sony Officially Reboots Starship Troopers After Helldivers Movie Announcement

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 information has been confirmed by multiple reputable sources including The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety.

This upcoming Starship Troopers movie will be a fresh adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 military sci-fi novel, distinct from Paul Verhoeven's 1997 cult classic which offered a satirical take on the source material. The new project is being spearheaded by Sony's Columbia Pictures and aims to delve directly into the themes and narrative of Heinlein's original work.

Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers satirized the novel upon which it is based. Photo by TriStar Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images.

Interestingly, Sony's decision to move forward with this project comes shortly after the announcement of a live-action adaptation of Helldivers, a popular PlayStation Studios shooter game. Helldivers, developed by Arrowhead, draws heavy inspiration from Verhoeven's Starship Troopers, featuring soldiers fighting against alien bugs in a satirical take on a fascist regime.

This development places Sony in a unique position, as it will be managing two projects that could potentially overlap in theme and audience. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Blomkamp's vision for Starship Troopers is to return to the roots of Heinlein's novel, which differs significantly in tone and message from Verhoeven's film. While Heinlein's book is often interpreted as promoting certain ideals, Verhoeven's adaptation famously satirized those very elements.

As of now, neither the new Starship Troopers nor the Helldivers movie has a confirmed release date, suggesting fans might have to wait a while before seeing these projects come to fruition. Blomkamp's most recent directorial effort was also with Sony, on the film Gran Turismo, which adapted the popular PlayStation driving simulation game series.