RoboCop Returns Neill Blomkamp

‘RoboCop’ is famous for a lot of things, from its satirical elements to its very concept. But as much as anything else, it’s famous for being a magnificent (and creative) gore-fest of an action film. Whether it’s Murphy’s gruesome murder, the way Emil begins to melt after being doused in toxic waste, or any of the countless street criminals who leave RoboCop no choice but to draw his weapon, there’s at least one ultraviolent scene that sticks out in your memory. All this violence is part of what makes the film as effective, indeed, as memorable as it is, and it’s the sort of thing you could really only get away with in an R-rated film.

It’s also something the series lost as it progressed. While ‘RoboCop 2’ reveled in its gore factor, ‘RoboCop 3’ eschewed the old ultra-violence in favor of a more toned down PG-13 approach. Likewise, Jose Padilha’s 2014 reboot similarly shielded away from the franchise’s famous violence, once again landing a PG-13 rating. Suffice it to say, this didn’t go well on either occasion.

But Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming ‘RoboCop Returns’ – a direct sequel to the original film based upon a script by that film’s writers – is shaping up to be a return to form in more ways than one. Responding to a tweet from game developer Cliff Bleszinski, Blomkamp confirmed that ‘Returns’ will carry an R-rating and include plenty of satire and exploding squibs. And with that, fans of the original classic can now breathe a bit easier.

While the violence in and of itself was not what made ‘RoboCop’ great, the film’s liberal use of squibs and fake blood was a sizeable part of what set it apart from the pack – even among the famously over the top action films of the 1980s.

Are you relieved to hear that Neill Blomkamp is returning ‘RoboCop’ to its R-rated roots? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back with ScienceFiction.com for more on ‘RoboCop Returns’ as it becomes available!