RoboCop TV Series Gets Showrunner And Mega Producer
Over a year after its development was first announced by Amazon MGM Studios, the Robocop TV series is one step closer to eventually hitting TV screens, adding Hollywood veteran Peter Ocko to serve as writer, executive producer and showrunner. Alongside Ocko, James Wan has also been brought on board to serve as executive producer through his production company, Atomic Monster. The two major additions should signal to fans of the popular franchise that the next iteration of their favorite crime-fighting human hybrid may be closer than they think.
James Wan Producing The Robocop Series
In March 2022, Amazon purchased MGM Studios for a staggering $8.5 billion, giving the global conglomerate access to the historic Hollywood studio’s treasure trove of intellectual property and successful franchises, including Stargate, Legally Blonde, Barbershop, The Magnificent Seven, and The Thomas Crown Affair.
Among those franchises was also Robocop, which was tapped for development into both a movie and a TV series in April 2023, with the TV series taking precedence. However, after the WGA and SAG strikes halted the development of countless productions throughout Hollywood, the future of the Robocop TV series was put into question for months.
Peter Ocko’s Hollywood Resume
With the hiring of both Ocko and Wan, the Robocop TV series now appears to be full steam ahead, combining the creative minds of two Hollywood producers with the experience and wherewithal to steer sizable franchises. Ocko has written for a wide variety of shows in his career, first getting his start by joining the writer’s room for shows such as Parker Lewis Can’t Lose and Dinosaurs.
Most recently, Ocko created the short-lived AMC+ original series Moonhaven, a futuristic sci-fi drama that followed the adventures of cargo pilot that finds herself exiled on the moon after being accused of a crime that she did not commit.
James Wan’s Record
Though Wan is most known for his horror film franchises such as Saw and The Conjuring, he served as executive producer for the TV series MacGiver, directing the show’s pilot episode in 2016. Wan has also executive produced other TV series such as Swamp Thing and the upcoming Peacock original series Teacup. For now, it remains unclear if Wan will serve as a director for any episodes of the Robocop TV series as well.
The Robocop Series
While official plot details are still under wraps, the Robocop TV series will follow the story of a giant tech conglomerate that works with a local police department to introduce a technologically advanced enforcer to combat the rising crime that has plagued its city. With a police officer who’s part man, part machine, the police department will soon have a new face of impending justice that they hope will deter criminals from wreaking terror, bringing peace to the now chaotic city.
Franchise Spans Back To The 80s
The Robocop franchise got its initial start in the early 1980s when screenwriter Edward Neumeier first got his idea for a futuristic thriller featuring a mechanical cop aided by human intelligence after watching Blade Runner. Following the success of the 1987 film Robocop, the franchise saw direct sequels, a reboot, and even a previous TV series, which debuted its first and only season in 1994 before being canceled.
Source: Variety
