RoboCop Returns is once again moving forward at MGM with a new director at the helm. The Hollywood Reporter brings word that the studio has drafted Abe Forsythe to spearhead the upcoming sequel.
Forsythe most recently wrote and directed the horror-comedy Little Monsters, which starred Lupita Nyong’o. That film had a limited run in theaters before it made its way onto Hulu in early October. Before this, he helmed the Australian black comedy Down Under in 2016. Forsythe also began his professional career as an actor. He showed up in a number of Australian TV shows, including Laid, Fireflies, and Always Greener.
RELATED: Neill Blomkamp No Longer Directing RoboCop Returns
RoboCop Returns is being touted as a direct sequel to the original 1987 film and will presumably ignore other installments. Its premise is based on an unused screenplay written by Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner, who penned the first movie. Neumeier and Miner were originally supposed to return for what became RoboCop 2 in 1990. Unfortunately, the 1988 writers strike kept them from finishing their draft. When MGM greenlit the new film, Terminator: Dark Fate scribe Justin Rhodes came onboard the project to do rewrites. THR confirms that Forsythe will take his own pass at the script as well.
Obviously, Forsythe isn’t the first person to sit in RoboCop Returns’ director’s chair. MGM previously hired Neill Blomkamp to make the sequel in mid-2018. Earlier this year, Blomkamp departed the film in order to concentrate on a new thriller he’s developing. Apparently, the studio didn’t want to wait for him to finish working on that project before turning his attention to RoboCop Returns.
Do you think Abe Forsythe is a good choice to direct RoboCop Returns? Give us your impressions in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading – RoboCop: The Definitive History: The Story of a Sci-Fi Icon
