Prime Directives:
1. Serve the public trust.
2. Protect the innocent.
3. Uphold the law.
4. When in doubt, cast Gary Oldman.
Fresh out of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Dark Knight Rises, Oldman is reportedly set to play the scientist who heads the Robocop project in the remake coming next year; joining rising star Joel Kinnaman, who is taking on the title role. Played by Miguel Ferrerr in the 1987 original, scientist Bob Morton was portrayed as a relatively unlikable businessman-type, but the character will likely be changed to suit Oldman’s acting style.
Indeed, with the announcement of a much darker, modernized version of Total Recall coming later this year, it remains to be seen if this new late-80s endeavor will follow the campy, feel-good approach of the original, (the horrifying limb-dismemberment of the opening scene notwithstanding) or go for a grittier approach.
With a relative unknown in the lead, and Gary Oldman by his side, the film is looking promising thus far, and with announcements that director Jose Padilha wants to focus more on story than action, this looks set to be a gracious remake, and not a Hollywood money-grab. Padilha has stated:
“RoboCop the first movie was fantastic. But even if there was no movie, the concept of RoboCop is brilliant, first because it lends itself to a lot of social criticism, but also because it poses a question, when do you lose your humanity?”
Questions of the film’s integrity will no doubt be easier to answer once further casting is revealed. The role of Anne Lewis, originally played by Nancy Allen, is likely around the corner; as are the roles of Dick Jones (Ronny Cox) and Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) – the two most thoroughly unpleasant villains of the 80s era (though Alan Rickman and Mr. T may have problems with that conclusion).
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