It's Official - Darren Aronofsky Directing the RoboCop Reboot!

July 24, 2008
by Alex Billington

It looks like Requiem for a Dream's Darren Aronofsky (seen above) will be bringing RoboCop back before moving on to The Fighter! We've heard rumblings about Aronofsky's involvement in the RoboCop reboot for quite a while and both myself and Kevin Powers have each commented on our feelings. However, whether or not we thought it was a good idea, Aronofsky has officially signed on! MGM just announced tonight that he has signed on to direct RoboCop and that screenwriter David Self (of The Haunting, Thirteen Days, and Road to Perdition) is penning the script. MGM is fast tracking the film and moving it into production sometime next year for release in 2010. Now does this reboot sound badass?!

MGM's Chairman Mary Parent said of the announcement: "Darren is undeniably one of the most talented, original and visceral filmmakers, and David is one of the greatest writers in Hollywood. All of us at MGM couldn't be more excited." Additionally, producers Brad Fischer and David Thwaites added: "With a filmmaker of Darren Aronofsky's vision and imagination and a writer of David Self's caliber, we are poised to bring to the screen an entertaining and provocative film, which will now be under the creative guidance of two of the best storytellers working in our industry today." Although everyone involved is enthusiastic, let's hope that the story isn't as crazy as originally rumor: "20 years after the termination of the RoboCop program, the city decides to reinstate the program." Is it a remake? Is it a reboot?

As I originally stated when I first heard about this, I think it's a great idea. Darren Aronofsky is an amazing director and can do no wrong and his involvement instantly makes this potentially a fantastic reinvention of a beloved franchise. I'm not necessarily fond of Self as the writer, but I think that's irrelevant considering this is truly Aronofsky's creation. What is not proven yet is Aronofsky's ability to direct a script that he didn't write himself, since Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and The Fountain were all projects that he wrote his own scripts for as well. I'm sure he'll do a fine job and I have no worries, but I'm just curious if there will be any noticeable differences in his style or directing. Am I the only one who is this confident in Aronofsky? If you love the original RoboCop, you're definitely going to be in for a treat this time around! What do you think of this announcement? Good or bad?

---