People are always wary when it comes to remakes, so it seems a bit of a kick in the nether regions to hear that the STARSHIP TROOPERS reboot will be less violent. It’s been a bit Paul Verhoeven Remake crazy around these parts lately with news on ROBOCOP and TOTAL RECALL remakes coming thick and fast. STARSHIP TROOPERS was based on a novel written by Robert A. Heinlein. The film would go on to spawn two direct-to-video sequels and also a cartoon series.
Speaking with ‘Empire’ magazine, producer of the upcoming TOTAL RECALL remake, Toby Jaffe, said the reboot would be less violent over budgetary concerns.
‘The more expensive a film is, the harder it is now to make it that violent. With [TOTAL RECALL] in particular, we made a conscious choice to keep it tonally closer to something like MINORITY REPORT. It gives the studio, and us as producers, the opportunity to reintroduce it in a new way.’
On the surface this sounds like a money hungry producer wanting the largest possible audience. But who can blame him? PG-13 rated films have a much higher likelihood of recovering their budgets these days, and we are talking about giant alien CGI bugs. The original film may have garnered cult status by now, but it also had a budget of over $100 million and only recouped $121 million worldwide. I’d also be cautious of furthering this franchise.
Jaffe went on to say how a PG-13 rating would allow a higher budget.
‘We have the ability to do so much more now. We can do the Jump Suits, for example, which I don’t think they could have done before.’
It’s great to do something different, but the Jump Suits have been done already in the likes of G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA. They will also make it seem too easy when taking down bugs. The soldiers in the original film really had to fight for it. Unless of course, they make even deadlier bugs, but without the violence will they be as big a threat?
I think I’ll wait to see TOTAL RECALL before getting too worried about this news. After all, the cartoon ROUGHNECKS: THE STARSHIP TROOPERS CHRONICLES was awesome. I’m sure the MPAA wont mind a bit of gratuitous violence to large insects.
STARSHIP TROOPERS is scheduled for 2014. TOTAL RECALL will be released 29th August 2012. It stars Colin Farrell and Kate Beckinsale. ROBOCOP is set for 9th August 2013 and will star Joel Kinnaman, Samuel L. Jackson, and Gary Oldman.
Source: Worst Previews
Luke likes many things, films and penguins being among them. He's loved films since the age of 9, when STARGATE and BATMAN FOREVER changed the landscape of modern cinema as we know it. His love of film extends to all aspects of his life, with trips abroad being planned around film locations and only buying products featured in Will Smith movies. His favourite films include SEVEN SAMURAI, PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC, IN BRUGES, LONE STAR, GODZILLA, and a thousand others.
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