Robocop is really a classic of sci-fi action and ‘80s excess. They really blew the sequels, but the idea that Darren Aronofsky is doing his version offers hope to robofans. We caught up with the original Robocop writer Ed Neumeier at the Saturn Awards, where he was hoping to win for Best DVD for Starship Troopers: Marauder. He did not, but at least we got to talk about Robocop!
Crave Online: How hard was it to make a DVD movie that felt like a Starship Troopers movie?
Ed Neumeier: We had a huge amount of support from not only Sony but our producer, David Lancaster to make that movie. I was surprised they let us get away with it. We shot it in South Africa and we actually got more money to make it than I thought. I think it was because people liked the script and they kinda liked the movie and they tried their best to make it as much like the first one as possible.
Crave Online: What would a Saturn mean to you?
Ed Neumeier: It’d be great. I’m hoping we will. I think actually we wouldn’t win it. I think Sony would win it or the producer would win it but that’s okay. We want the movie to do well for everybody. I actually have a Saturn. I won a Saturn for Robocop in 1987 so I got one and maybe I’ll get another one.
Crave Online: Have you thought of continuing the story in more films?
Ed Neumeier: You know, we do. There’s a lot of people who want us to do it. We would love to do it. The studio always has to look and see well, what do we need this year? What did it make? Maybe we will. So far we’ve done three so maybe they’ll let us do another one.
Crave Online: When you say a lot of people, does that include Sony Pictures?
Ed Neumeier: No, I’m talking about fans. I think there are people at Sony who enjoyed the movie a lot.
Crave Online: What do you think of Darren Aronofsky doing a new Robocop?
Ed Neumeier: Thank God there’s somebody smart doing that. Last I heard he was but I know that MGM is trying to do it. I heard Darren Aronofsky is the guy. I’ve talked to Paul Verehoeven about it and we’re very pleased that at least they’ve got somebody smart on board.
Crave Online: What would you think a modern Robocop could be?
Ed Neumeier: I don’t want to say because I’ve read in the press that ARonofsky wants to do something completely different. I think he ought to do something completely different and I think it’s not going to help for me to say what I would do actually.
Crave Online: What year did you set Robocop in?
Ed Neumeier: There was never a year on that picture and that was actually a big fight at the time because people kept asking me, “What year is this set in?” And I kept saying, “I’m not going to tell you.” That was because I always thought well, we’d pass it, but we haven’t passed it except in our imaginations anyway.
