Prime Video is developing a new television series based on the 1980s science fiction film RoboCop. The project is moving forward with Peter Ocko serving as showrunner and James Wan taking on the role of executive producer for the streaming platform.
The development follows an announcement in 2020 by Ed Neumeier, the co-creator of the original RoboCop film. Neumeier stated at the time that he was working on a prequel series that would follow the character Dick Jones and explore the origins of the fictional corporation Omni Consumer Products. The show has now found its home at Amazon's Prime Video.
Expanding science fiction catalog
The addition of RoboCop expands Prime Video's growing catalog of science fiction programming. The streaming service recently released the successful video game adaptation Fallout and has built a strong viewership with its satirical superhero series The Boys, which redefined the superhero genre. Prime Video is also preparing to release a sequel series set in the Blade Runner universe later this year, focusing on the future of that world.
The platform has previously explored philosophical science fiction concepts through series such as The Peripheral and Paper Girls. The new RoboCop project could allow Prime Video to offer a deeper, existential tone, following the model of productions like Westworld on HBO, or Severance and Pluribus on Apple TV.
Original film themes
The original RoboCop film was released in the 1980s as a B movie and directed by Paul Verhoeven. The story follows Alex Murphy, a deceased police officer who is resurrected as a cyborg law enforcement machine by OmniCorp. The heavily armed officer is given sweeping powers to act as judge, jury and executioner on the streets of a dystopian American police state.
While it may have appeared to be an explosive action film, the movie served as a sharp and subtle social critique of corporate influence over society. The film also explored complex themes surrounding artificial intelligence and human identity, as Murphy struggled with lingering memories of the family he loved and the home he lived in despite his mechanical reprogramming.
