ROBOCOP RETURNS In The Works At MGM With DISTRICT 9 Helmer Neill Blomkamp On Board To Direct

Neill Blomkamp may never get to make that Alien movie, but he will get to leave his mark on another classic sci-fi franchise!Deadline reports that The District 9 director has signed on to helm RoboCop Returns for MGM. The project is being developed from a script that was actually written Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner as a direct sequel to Paul Verhoeven’s beloved original. Terminator reboot scribe Justin Rhodes will now get to work on a rewrite.Yes, it looks like this will be a follow-up to Verhoeven’s film and not a sequel to the 2014 reboot with Joe Kinnaman, which, while technically well made, toned down the OTT violence, satire and social commentary of the original.Here’s what Blomkamp had to say about boarding the project:“The original definitely had a massive effect on me as a kid. I loved it then and it remains a classic in the end of 20th Century sci-fi catalog, with real meaning under the surface. Hopefully that is something we can get closer to in making of a sequel. That is my goal here. What I connected to as a kid has evolved over time. At first, the consumerism, materialism and Reaganomics, that ’80s theme of America on steroids, came through most strongly. But As I’ve gotten older, the part that really resonated with me is identity, and the search for identity.As long as the human component is there, a good story can work in any time period, it’s not locked into a specific place in history. What’s so cool about RoboCop is that like good Westerns, sci-fi films and dramas, the human connection is really important to a story well told. What draws me now is someone searching for their lost identity, taken away at the hands of people who are benefiting from it, and seeing his memory jogged by events. That is most captivating. The other thing I am excited by is the chance to work again with Justin Rhodes. He has added elements that are pretty awesome, to a sequel that was set in the world of Verhoeven. This is a movie I would love to watch.”

Source: ROBOCOP RETURNS In The Works At MGM With DISTRICT 9 Helmer Neill Blomkamp On Board To Direct

SHAZAM! First Official Image Shows The Hero Enjoying A Soda With Freddy Freeman; New Plot Details Revealed

Well, it’s about damn time! After a huge number of set photos from Toronto found their way online, Entertainment Weekly has revealed the first official image from Shazam!. As you can see, it features Billy Batson – in his heroic form – enjoying a soda with his buddy Freddy Freeman. Some new details about what to expect from the DC Comics adaptation have also been revealed by the site today.Apparently, Billy will be assigned to a new foster home where he befriends comic book fanboy Freddy. However, when his subway ride is interrupted by a mysterious Wizard looking for the best possible person to inherit his powers, he becomes Shazam. You’d think he’d have gone for some beers rather than sodas, though, right? Regardless, it looks like he’s stepped straight out of the source material.”I wanted to keep the shorter cape as a throwback to the original because that’s something that sets him apart from Superman or Batman,” director David Sandberg reveals. “It makes him feel a bit more Golden Age superhero, which is the vibe I’m going for.” What do you guys think of this first official image from Shazam!? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Source: SHAZAM! First Official Image Shows The Hero Enjoying A Soda With Freddy Freeman; New Plot Details Revealed