Hugh Laurie’s latest role may be in Jose Padilha’s upcoming remake of director Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 action-packed satire “Robocop”. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the British actor/comedian and former “House” star is slated to portray the villainous CEO of Omnicorp, the company responsible for bankrolling the robotic police officer’s creation. The role was originally made famous by “St. Elsewhere” alumni Ronny Cox.
If Laurie joins up, he will accompany a number of high-profile actors that have already signed on to star in the picture. Samuel L. Jackson is already on-board, as is veteran actor Gary Oldman, who is slated to play the scientist who brings the fallen officer back from the dead. Rumors are also swirling that “Sucker Punch” cutie Abbie Cornish is being tapped to play Murphy’s wife, though nothing has been confirmed thus far.
The coveted role of Alex Murphy, the man who will ultimately become Robocop, belongs to Joel Kinnaman, co-star of the American version of the Danish drama “The Killing”, which is currently in the process of wrapping up its second season.
This isn’t the only Verhoeven film that’s getting the remake treatment. This August, Len Wiseman’s version of “Total Recall” will hit theaters in America, a motion picture which, oddly enough, also featured Ronny Cox as the villain.
For those who haven’t seen the original “Robocop”, here’s the setup: Alex Murphy, an officer on the Detroit police force, is brutally murdered by a savage gang of drug dealers at the opening of the film. In an effort to bring a new form of law enforcement to the crime-laden city, Omnicorp uses Murphy’s remains to fashion Robocop, who, as the tagline suggests, is part man, part machine, and all cop. It doesn’t take very long for revenge to ensue.
The film would later spawn two sequels and an ill-fated television miniseries entitled “Robocop: Prime Directives”, the latter of which featured Page Fletcher in the titular role.