Columbia Pictures and MGM have decided to start early for their promotions of the “RoboCop” remake. The movie is more than a year away, but they’ve already gotten the ball rolling to whet the public’s appetite. The 1989 original by Paul Verhoeven is a genre classic and the studio has an uphill battle convincing fans this is something worthy. And they’re reaching out to fans with a glimpse of an iconic character: ED-209, the so-called “urban pacification” droid from Verhoeven’s film, reimagined into a much sleeker design. Here’s how he looks now:



Although it does look kind of cool, I can’t say I’m sold on the design approach. It seems to be drawing inspiration from, of all places, the style of Michael Bay’s “Transformers”, what with the sharp lines and the generally busy look. The original design was great partly because of its simplicity. This one is a bit over-designed. I’m now more than a little worried for the look of the new RoboCop.

In any case, this image is part of the studio’s viral campaign, which is clearly going to expand during next weekend’s San Diego Comic Con, where the movie will feature a panel. The image is hosted on a site for OmniCorp, the fictitious mega-corporation of the film that pretty much runs future society. On the site, the following mission statement is posted:

“For a half-century, these words have set the framework upon which OmniCorp has aimed to build a brighter world. We don’t do passive technology. At OmniCorp, our solutions generate a beacon of safety that we shine upon on the dangers of the day. No matter the obstacle – political, cultural, philosophical – we pursue our convictions around the globe to secure peace of mind at home. And when this requires bold new direction, we never allow doubt to shrink our duty. When your quality of life is in the balance, our leadership team will tip the scales. Our products have elevated your lives. Our people have inspired your future. Our passion will always be at your side.”

Most intriguingly, OmniCorp’s site features this video presentation of their “upcoming products”, including a tease of the mysterious “RC-2000″. No prizes for guessing what RC stands for…



“RoboCop” is directed by Jose Padilha and stars Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson and Hugh Laurie. It premieres 9th August 2013.

 

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