José Padilha’s RoboCop remake, due out next year, has been garnering a lot of attention on the Internet since the debut of its first trailer earlier this month, and with all the new footage, fans of the original, a deceptively smart ’80s actioner which starred Peter Weller, have likely found themselves wondering whether the remake will be able to deliver in terms of quality and at the box office.
While that first line of questioning is still in doubt, MGM and Sony reinforced their commitment to the high-budgeted film today with news that RoboCop will be released simultaneously in IMAX and regular theaters.
The first trailer focused heavily on the film’s sleek special effects and intense action sequences, and after this most recent announcement, I think it’s definitely safe to say that Padihla’s RoboCop reboot will boast some seriously crazy and explosive fight scenes perfect for an IMAX release. Unfortunately, the fact that this RoboCop has been saddled with a teen-friendly PG-13 rating doesn’t bode well for fans who enjoyed the original’s ridiculously over-the-top blood and gore.
You can check out the first trailer for the film right here:
The film stars Joel Kinnaman of AMC drama The Killing as the titular cyborg, and despite a grating robotic voice, I’m holding out hope that the talented young actor will bring some intriguing emotional pathos to the role. The reboot co-stars a host of terrific actors including Samuel L. Jackson, Abbie Cornish, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton and Jackie Earle Haley. Personally, I think this reboot has all the makings of a box-office hit – it looks tonally similarly to the terrific Dredd, but with less mythology behind it and a much more recognizable supporting cast.
You can read the official plot synopsis for RoboCop below:
In RoboCop, the year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Overseas, their drones have been used by the military for years – and it’s meant billions for OmniCorp’s bottom line. Now OmniCorp wants to bring their controversial technology to the home front, and they see a golden opportunity to do it. When Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) – a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit – is critically injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer. OmniCorp envisions a RoboCop in every city and even more billions for their shareholders, but they never counted on one thing: there is still a man inside the machine pursuing justice.
Are you excited for the new RoboCop, or has what we’ve seen so far done little to really keep you interested in the project? Let us know in the comments!
RoboCop opens in IMAX and regular theaters on February 7, 2014.