Sony Pictures is set to revive Starship Troopers, with District 9 filmmaker Neill Blomkamp taking the reins as writer and director. The upcoming project will return to the original 1959 novel by Robert A. Heinlein, rather than serving as a remake of Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 cult classic.
While plot details remain under wraps, the film is expected to retain the franchise’s signature conflict between humans and alien bugs.
Blomkamp will produce the film alongside his wife and longtime collaborator, Terri Tatchell. The director has a well-established history with Sony, having previously worked with the studio on District 9, Elysium, Chappie, and the 2023 PlayStation adaptation Gran Turismo, which grossed over $122 million worldwide. His District 9 was a critical and commercial success, earning four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Starship Troopers franchise, which began with the 1997 film, has since spawned multiple sequels, including Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004) and Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008), along with two CGI-animated films in 2012 and 2017.
Blomkamp’s fresh take aims to bring Heinlein’s novel to life in a way that differs from previous adaptations, marking a bold new direction for the sci-fi classic.