Robocop, the iconic sci-fi classic directed by Paul Verhoeven, is experiencing something of a renaissance on streaming 27 years after it was originally released, landing in Hulu’s top 10. Debuting in cinemas in 1987, the movie — which holds an impressive 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an 84% audience score — has remained one of the standout sci-fi movies of its time, hailed for its sharp and biting satire, intense and thrilling action and of course, the lead performance of its star Peter Weller.

Set in a dystopian future where corporations control the government (this doesn’t seem so far fetched) and crime runs rampant in Detroit, the movie follows Alex Murphy (played by Weller), a Detroit police officer who is savagely killed while in the line of duty, but is resurrected as Robocop, a cyborg law enforcement officer. Murphy faces the challenge of trying to navigate an immensely corrupt system but also trying to reclaim his own humanity and soul, while trying to set Detroit back on the straight and narrow with the help of his partner, Ann Lewis (Nancy Allen). Murphy also seeks revenge on the gang that killed him, led by Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith), and Dick Jones (Ronny Cox), the corrupt executive who is attempting to control his life.

What Else Has Come From the ‘Robocop’ Franchise?

The film was followed by a number of sequels and spin-offs; two theatrical sequels, 1990’s RoboCop 2 and 1993’s RoboCop 3, with the latter choosing to replace Weller with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’s Robert John Burke; two Canadian-produced live-action TV series, 1994’s RoboCop and 2001’s RoboCop: Prime Directives; and, despite the extremely R-rated nature of the first RoboCop, two kid-aimed cartoon series, 1988’s RoboCop and 1998’s RoboCop: Alpha Commando. Who says kids are sensitive?

Additionally, there was a remake which starred Joel Kinnaman that came out in 2014 but was a critical and financial misfire. The franchise has also spawned a number of comic books, action figures, and video games. However, it’s fairly safe to say that none of these projects have ever quite captured the magic of Verhoeven’s original film.

Last year, it was reported that the franchise was close to being resuscitated again, following news that Amazon had targeted it as one of the IPs it intended to revive, after acquiring its owner MGM in 2022. Alongside Legally Blonde, Stargate and Barbershop, Robocop was identified as a property which was ripe for development, although news on that has gone quiet for the time being.

Robocop is now streaming on Hulu. Check it out at the link below.

Watch on Hulu