Sony Developing Two Similar Sci-Fi Movies at Once

Sony Pictures is now developing two remarkably similar sci-fi military franchises simultaneously.

Blomkamp Returns to Classic Sci-Fi with Starship Troopers

Sony has just tapped Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium, Chappie) to write and direct a new Starship Troopers film. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Blomkamp will work alongside Terri Tatchell, his longtime creative partner and wife, who co-wrote District 9—a film that earned four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

Unlike Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 satirical adaptation, Blomkamp’s version will return to Robert A. Heinlein’s 1959 novel, which follows Johnny Rico, a soldier in Earth’s interstellar war against bug-like alien invaders.

Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers, starring Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, and Neil Patrick Harris, took a satirical approach, critiquing military propaganda and jingoism. While it initially struggled at the box office, the film later became a cult classic.

Blomkamp’s most recent film, Sony’s Gran Turismo (2023), was a critical and commercial success, grossing $122 million worldwide. His involvement in Starship Troopers continues his partnership with Sony, reinforcing his reputation for visually striking, thought-provoking sci-fi.

The Helldivers Factor: Sony’s Two Bug Wars

Interestingly, this announcement comes at a time when Sony is also developing a live-action movie based on the PlayStation game “Helldivers,” which draws heavy inspiration from Starship Troopers film. As reported by Deadline, Sony now faces the prospect of having two similarly themed sci-fi military movies in development simultaneously.

Both feature human soldiers battling alien insects in futuristic military settings. Both explore themes of militarism, sacrifice, and humanity’s place in an interstellar conflict. While Blomkamp aims to return to Heinlein’s source material, the fundamental premise still involves heavily armed troops fighting massive bug armies.

The studio must now carefully manage release schedules, marketing strategies, and creative directions to prevent the projects from cannibalizing each other’s audience. Deadline reports that neither film has announced a release window yet, giving Sony time to create sufficient separation between them.

Arrowhead CCO Johan Pilestedt has already confirmed the game developer’s limited involvement in the Helldivers adaptation, stating they “are not Hollywood people” and “don’t know what it takes to make a movie.” This suggests Sony could take creative liberties with Helldivers, possibly leaning toward a more action-driven compared to Blomkamp’s grittier, thematic take on Starship Troopers.

Sony’s decision to develop two similar sci-fi properties reflects its aggressive push into franchise-driven content. With Blomkamp’s proven track record in thought-provoking sci-fi and the massive popularity of the Helldivers game franchise, Sony appears to be betting that both properties can find their own audiences despite their similarities.