'District 9' director Neill Blomkamp enlists for new 'Starship Troopers' movie
Neill Blomkamp is doing his part.
The District 9 filmmaker is working on a new Starship Troopers movie for Sony's Columbia Pictures division, Entertainment Weekly has confirmed. The film will be a new adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel rather than a direct remake of Paul Verhoeven's 1997 movie, which followed a group of young recruits who go to war against alien "bugs."
In addition to directing, Blomkamp is writing the screenplay and will produce alongside Terri Tatchell, his wife and frequent collaborator. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.
Blomkamp's previous films like District 9 and Elysium featured strong sociopolitical commentary channeled through a sci-fi lens, which makes the filmmaker an intriguing successor to Verhoeven, who put a satirical spin on Heinlein's material.
Related: Starship Troopers cast remembers the film's 'lousy reception' before becoming cult classic
However, it remains unclear exactly what Blomkamp's angle on Starship Troopers will be, because if he's not remaking or rebooting Verhoeven's work, and instead returning to Heinlein's original novel, that means the project might lack the ironic detachment of the 1997 movie. Heinlein's book has been the subject of some controversy, as its ardent militarism and unsympathetic rendering of alien antagonists have been widely described as fascist.
Verhoeven himself took major issue with Heinlein's viewpoint, and sought to make his adaptation a satire of the original book. "It is really quite a bad book," the Dutch filmmaker told Empire in 2020. "It's a very right-wing book. And with the movie we tried, and I think at least partially succeeded, in commenting on that at the same time. It would be eat your cake and have it. All the way through we were fighting with the fascism, the ultra-militarism. All the way through I wanted the audience to be asking, 'Are these people crazy?'"
Verhoeven's film didn't strongly connect with audiences upon its initial release, making $121 million at the global box office on a budget that exceeded $100 million. However, the movie has gained a cult following and spawned a number of sequel and spinoff projects, including the 2004 TV movie Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, the 2008 direct-to-video sequel Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, and two direct-to-video anime sequels.
Related: Starship Troopers cast: Where are they now?
Word of the new film comes in the wake of the massive popularity of Helldivers 2, a 2024 video game that has drawn frequent comparisons to Starship Troopers due to its alien bug villains, satirical tone, and futuristic setting.
This isn't the first time Blomkamp has signed on for a Verhoeven-adjacent project. He was previously tapped to helm a RoboCop sequel in 2018, but departed the following year.
Related: Sigourney Weaver says the 'ship has sailed' on her playing Ripley in Alien sequel: 'I put in my time in space'
Blomkamp recently directed Gran Turismo, a racing drama based on the PlayStation video game franchise of the same name. He had previously attempted to helm an Alien sequel starring Sigourney Weaver that was ultimately shelved.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
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In this particular vision of the DC world, Luthor is the head of tech company LuthorCorp (not LexCorp, as is more traditional). Gunn has repeatedly described the character as a sorcerer of science, capable of engineering the most fantastical gadgets and technology to achieve his leads us to the figures in his orbit, specifically the Engineer. Luthor is particular about who he surrounds himself with, including Angela Spica. In the comics, she's depicted as a woman made of liquid machinery who can morph her body into different weapons. This incarnation of the character (played by María Gabriela de Faría) isn't quite like that, instead using nanotechnology to alter herself. One sequence in the film — a sprawling battle that plays out in a baseball field and is orchestrated from afar by Luthor — sees Angela summon swarms of nanobots running throughout her body to create razor-sharp throwing discs. De Faría describes the Engineer of Superman as having "an edge" to her. "I imagined that Lex and Angie had this work relationship where they respect each other so much," she says. "Angela highly believes in Lex's idea of making the world a better place. She's practically given her life to Lex for this greater good. But at the same time, I feel like there's an element of an underlying relationship going on between the two of them. It's not in the movie," she clarifies, but de Faría remembers telling Gunn, "I feel like these guys f---!" Luthor's girlfriend is actually played by Sara Sampaio. Eve Teschmacher was a character originally created purely for Richard Donner's Superman films, but here she's big into social media. If a kaiju invades Metropolis, she's likely in the background broadcasting the moment on Instagram Live. "She's just very for herself and her content," Sampaio explains of Eve. "She's sometimes out of notion with what's happening or what's appropriate, but she does have a heart. At the end of the day, everything is just so exciting for her. She's just in a whole different world." There's also a mysterious figure on Team Lex, called Ultra Man, whose entire body is covered by a black suit. Gunn continues this air of mystery, but the character has comparable abilities to Superman, including laser vision, strength, and flight (based on the trailers). When asked if Ultra Man is Luthor's attempt to create his own Man of Steel, the filmmaker replies, "I think that's close. Ultra Man is sort of Lex's thug, and is pretty powerful." Not just with Luthor, but all the supporting characters in the film, Gunn wanted to create a world that wasn't so strictly black and white. "There are some characters that are really almost saintly, like Superman," he elaborates. "There are some characters who are almost pretty terrible, like Lex Luthor. But I don't think Lex is all bad, and I don't think Superman is all good. All those people in between, the Guy Gardners and the Jimmy Olsens of the world, are even more complex in their moralities and what they think is okay." "Okay, superstars. Come on in!" Back on the set of EW's cover shoot, one of the many publicists in attendance signals the arrival of the rest of the Superman crowd. The three members of the Justice Gang (Merced, Fillion, and Gathegi) come pouring in the studio with Sampaio, de Faría, Anthony Carrigan (Metamorpho), Beck Bennett (douchey Daily Planet sports reporter Steve Lombard), Mikaela Hoover (gossip columnist Cat Grant), and Skyler Gisondo (photographer Jimmy Olsen). Shouting "last looks" brings a stampede of hairstylists and makeup artists to the set for final touch-ups on each of their clients before the shoot can progress. The mere size of the cast can feel overwhelming, something Gunn is keenly aware fans are criticizing online. 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Fillion, who's worked with Gunn as far back as Slither, pinpoints exactly what he enjoys about his pal's take on Superman. "There's enough room in my heart for different ideas about the story of Superman," he says, "but they all have one thing in common: What if there was a Kryptonian who came to Earth and was here with us? James' take is: What if we lived in that world? It's giant monsters, alien beings, interdimensional imps. There's things happening that are reality for this world that we're about to enter." From a writing standpoint, Gunn approached this DC pantheon practically — i.e., characters aren't there just to be there. Take Metamorpho. In Lex's pursuit to defeat Superman, he needs to pinpoint his vulnerabilities. One of them, as anyone can tell you, is kryptonite, the green mineral that can substantially weaken and even harm the bulletproof man. But where does Lex get it? Well, there's this guy, Rex Mason, who can change his body mass into any natural element — including, you guessed it, kryptonite. He just needs a compelling enough reason to persuade Rex/Metamorpho to do this for him. There are certain clues within the world of Superman that hint at Metamorpho's origin story, like the presence of Stagg Industries, a company that's intertwined with the character in the comics. However, audiences will meet Metamorpho in the film "in full swing of who he is," Carrigan notes. "You're in a situation where it's having to hurt someone, having to be an agent of the bad guy. And at the same time, there's this struggle to want to be good," the Barry alum continues of his character. "What the film does brilliantly is it puts you in this situation of, 'Oh! He has no choice.' He has to be doing this, and you see how painful it is." Gunn took a similar approach to the other figures of DC comics. 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"I love the idea that if you have an emergency and you need a Green Lantern — there's thousands of them out there in the galaxy — this is the last one you want," Fillion, who's voiced multiple animated Lanterns throughout his career, says of this iteration. "What is very true about Guy Gardner, and what James understands very well, is you don't have to be good and pure of heart to be a Green Lantern. You just have to be fearless. You just have to have the will. And Guy Gardner thinks he can take on Superman. That's how fearless he is. No, you can't take on Superman, dude." By comparison, Mister Terrific is "one of the most philosophically compelling heroes in DC," in Gathegi's opinion. As one of the most intelligent individuals on Earth, Michael Holt uses T-spheres, computerized floating orbs that respond to his voice, for a variety of purposes, including force field creation and hologram projection. "He's an atheist who believes in justice," Gathegi describes his character. "He loses his wife, and he found meaning in knowledge. He saw that, while the universe might be cruel, intelligence, science, and innovation could make it better. He chose to become hope rather than succumbing to the despair of losing his wife." Merced's Hawkgirl, who has wings sprouting from her back and a mace at the ready, is the warrior of the gang. "You don't really get to know her that well, and I think that's good," Merced says. "James isn't showing all of his cards. He's saving a lot of that." For what? Other DC projects. Early trailers for Peacemaker season 2 reveal that Fillion and Merced will reprise their Superman roles alongside Sean Gunn's Maxwell Lord for DC's HBO series, for which James Gunn also serves as writer and showrunner. "It was a bit more blatantly comical," Merced says of inserting Hawkgirl into the Peacemaker environment. "It's so f---ed up, but in a fun way." Fillion will then pop over to HBO's Lanterns, which stars Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as two other Earth-based Green Lanterns — John Stewart and Hal Jordan, respectively. Gathegi also confirms that "[Superman] isn't the only project that I'll be in," further illustrating Gunn and Safran's mission to bring these actors back across various projects. Just about every cast member who speaks with EW is eager to answer the call, should another piece of the larger DC puzzle require their character. De Faría, for one, is well aware that the Engineer is a chief figure in the super team known as the Authority, which was already announced for a future movie adaptation. "We did have a bit of that conversation about the future of the Engineer," she says. "And the motherf---er" — she whispers the expletive — "was very secretive. He was like, 'I have a great idea,' and then [texted] a little emoji. Okay, so what is it?! And then he didn't reply. He's keeping me in the dark, but apparently he has a great idea of what to do with this character." DC and Gunn fans are craving those specifics, but the future appears bright for Superman and his pals in the DCU. David Zaslav, the head of Warner Bros. Discovery, got up in front of investors earlier this year and declared the Man of Steel as crucial to the longevity of this franchise, as are Supergirl, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Sitting in a large conference room — where he's just about to watch the dailies from HBO's Lanterns, which is halfway through filming — Gunn agrees with Zaslav's statement, but provides one caveat: "I wouldn't say only those four characters, but I would say that those four characters are incredibly important to us. Right now, I feel great about where two of those characters are, and then we're dealing with the other two." Let's start with Superman. The film hits theaters this July 11, and when asked if he's already thinking of a sequel, Gunn replies, "What I'm working on is in some way…I mean, yes, yes, yes, yes. But is it a straight-up Superman sequel? I would not say necessarily." The next movie in the DCU after Superman will be Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, starring Milly Alcock as Kal-El's cousin Kara Zor-El, on June 26, 2026. But what about Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince? Already announced for development are a film inspired by Grant Morrison's Batman and Son comic, as well as a Paradise Island HBO series about the Amazons of Themyscira. The latter is "slow moving, but it's moving," Gunn says, while confirming a Wonder Woman movie is "being written right now." Gunn hasn't yet cast the DCU's Batman or Wonder Woman, but notes that Robert Pattinson "is still there" in director Matt Reeves' corner of the DC franchise. Although there have been many delays, Pattinson will return for The Batman Part II. Meanwhile, Reeves continues to build out his "Batman Epic Crime Saga," a series of movies and shows, including The Penguin, that remain separate from the main DCU franchise's story continuity. "What Matt's doing is still really important, despite all stories to the contrary," Gunn comments. "We're supposed to see that script shortly, and I can't wait." With all of these projects, Gunn is conscious not to give audiences homework, which is not dissimilar to Marvel's current post-Endgame approach. You won't have to watch Superman to enjoy Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, he says: "I am really trying to be careful that anybody can dip in and see the story that is up next and not feel like they're missing information." That said, he does have a master plan in terms of the titles comprising Gods and Monsters. "The most important thing is the specific stories, but there is also a much bigger story that we're telling that will take a little bit longer to tell," he remarks. "That's sort of where my next couple of things are going to be." Could it involve something that does justice to this league of superheroes he's assembling? Is Justice League on James Gunn's mind? "Of course, of course," he responds. "But there is no Justice League in this world… not yet." Is it fair to say the Justice League relates to Gunn's larger plans for the Gods and Monsters phase of the DCU? Again, he offers a sly reply: "Sure." Corenswet takes a moment to consider the idea of leading a Justice League film, but first…the sound of baby talk cuts through the conversation. Over a follow-up call in May, Corenswet has traded the phone booth from EW's cover for a botanical garden somewhere outside Los Angeles. He just flew in from Australia, where he filmed the movie Mr. Irrelevant with his DC costar David Krumholtz (he plays Zor-El in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow). Corenswet brought his wife and 1-year-old out with a group of friends, hoping the sunlight would help him beat the jet lag. The sun, as comic fans know, certainly helps Superman when he's feeling weak. But now their daughter starts babbling. "Which is our signal to wrap up in the next few minutes," he says. So…Justice League? "I mean, that sounds awesome," he responds. "I don't take it upon myself to think ahead in that kind of way, just because one would hate to get one's hopes up about anything in particular and then have it go in another direction. What I like to do is stay blissfully ignorant, and then when James tells me what's going to happen, I get to have a wonderful surprise. So if Justice League is in the back of his mind, that sounds great to me. I'll put it at the back of my mind and we'll see what happens." Corenswet, a true jazz man, feels like the right guy to lead the way. After a streak of dark and gritty DC superhero movies made popular by the Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder age, "to make a Superman movie is a lot," Gunn says. "I think, in some ways, he can be seen as a little old-fashioned, but I think that old-fashioned is something that's really beautiful and, in its own way, the most rebellious thing about that character." Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
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Marvel Star, 38, Misidentified in Viral Video from L.A. Protests
Marvel Star, 38, Misidentified in Viral Video from L.A. Protests originally appeared on Parade. Actor was misidentified in a now-viral clip circulating from the ongoing protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles. A representative for the Thunderbolts* actor, 38, confirmed to Entertainment Weekly on June 10 that the actor was not in the clip and are currently "working to correct the misinformation." In the viral clip on X (formerly known as Twitter), the man — who was actually identified as Aaron Fisher — spoke out to authorities and urged them to "Think about what you're doing now" during the protests and noted that they are "on the wrong side of history." "Your assault rifles and your sticks? You should be standing here with us," he said in the clip. "We know you got a job to do, but you took an oath to the Constitution, not to the fascists in the White House. Think about what this means." "Coming into our community, peaceful f---ing community — people working their jobs," he continued. "They're sending men in military fatigues, weapons of war. And you stand here and you allow it . . . do you think any of these people in the White House sending you these commands give a f--- about you?" The ongoing protests in Los Angeles began on Friday, June 6 after ICE agents carried out raids in heavily Latino parts of the city — including downtown L.A. In response to the protests, President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard, a move which escalated the protests and has been heavily criticized by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Fisher told the outlet he "found the mixup to be pretty humorous, and glad it helped to amplify the message" amid the ongoing protests. "The proliferation of the words themselves, and the movement behind it, is what matters most," he continued. "The deployment of the National Guard against the wishes of our Governor is dangerously un-American, and I will continue to peacefully protest in my community."Marvel Star, 38, Misidentified in Viral Video from L.A. Protests first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
