Dan Stevens’ eclectic post-Downton Abbey career continues as he’s been snapped up to lead Amazon Prime Video’s RoboCop series.
Stevens recent credits include prominent roles in the returning supernatural horror series, The Terror: Devil in Silver, Abigail and Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.
He’s soon to appear on the big screen in Adam Wingard’s Onslaught as a neo-Nazi scientist, his third film with the director.
So, following in the legendary footsteps of Peter Weller as a gunned-down Cop whose consciousness is plugged into a robotic mercenary sounds right up Stevens’ alley.
The news, as reported by Deadline, will see Stevens lead an eight-episode series in which a giant tech conglomerate pushes to deploy a powerful robot in the police force.
That robot is fused with the consciousness of Stevens’ beloved fallen officer, Alex Murphy.
Who is making the new ‘RoboCop’ series?
Peter Ocko (Lodge 49) serves as writer, showrunner and executive producer on Amazon’s RoboCop series, with horror legend James Wan also executive producing via his Blumhouse Atomic Monster banner alongside Michael Clear and Rob Hackett.
Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner, co-writers of the original 1987 RoboCop film, will also executive produce.
The series was announced last month, when Wan said, “I’ve been a massive fan of Robocop forever, so getting to help bring this world to television is a dream.
“What Paul Verhoeven created in 1987 was decades ahead of its time, and its questions about technology, identity, and who corporations really serve have only grown more urgent.
“With Peter’s distinctive vision and bold approach to storytelling, and alongside Ed and our partners at Amazon MGM Studios, we’re working to honour what made the original iconic and highlight its relevancy in this modern, tech-driven world, while building something unmistakably new for a global audience.”
‘RoboCop’ is a loved franchise
The 1987 original RoboCop film is considered something of a classic.
Starring Weller in the lead role, director Paul Verhoeven’s film is a potent blend of political satire and almost shocking gore in a decaying near-future Detroit.
Weller returned for a 1990 sequel, directed by Irvin Kershner, before a third film in 1993, directed by Fred Dekker, saw Robert Burke star as the lead.
Irrespective of the two sequels, Verhoeven’s 1987 film endured in the hearts and minds of action film fans, so it’s no surprise there was a cinematic reboot in 2014, starring Joel Kinnaman.
Moreover, RoboCop was among several titles Amazon earmarked for reboots following its acquisition of MGM, alongside Legally Blonde, Barbershop, Stargate, The Magnificent Seven, Poltergeist, Fame, Pink Panther and The Thomas Crown Affair.
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