Sony is actively developing a new reboot of the Starship Troopers franchise, with acclaimed director Neill Blomkamp at the helm, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety. Blomkamp, known for his work on films like District 9, Elysium, and Chappie, will both write and direct this fresh take on Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 military sci-fi novel.

This upcoming project, brought to us by Sony's Columbia Pictures, will not be a sequel or a continuation of Paul Verhoeven's 1997 cult classic sci-fi satire Starship Troopers. Instead, it aims to be a direct adaptation of Heinlein's original work, offering a different interpretation of the story.

The announcement of Blomkamp's involvement may raise eyebrows, especially since Sony has also recently greenlit a live-action adaptation of the popular PlayStation Studios game Helldivers. Helldivers, developed by Arrowhead, draws heavy inspiration from Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers, featuring a satirical take on a fascist regime known as Super Earth, battling alien bugs and other foes while promoting "Liberty and Managed Democracy."

This development puts Sony in a unique position, as it now has two projects, Starship Troopers and Helldivers, that could potentially compete for similar audiences. However, The Hollywood Reporter clarifies that Blomkamp's version will focus on returning to Heinlein's source material, which differs significantly in tone and theme from Verhoeven’s satirical approach. Heinlein's novel is often interpreted as promoting the very ideals that Verhoeven’s film satirizes.

As of now, neither the new Starship Troopers nor the Helldivers film has a confirmed release date, indicating that fans might have to wait a while before seeing these projects come to fruition. Blomkamp's most recent directorial effort was Gran Turismo, another Sony production based on the iconic PlayStation racing game series.