OnThisDay RoboCop released in theatres. July 17, #1987 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O’Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, and Miguel Ferrer. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit in the near future, RoboCop centers on police officer Alex Murphy (Weller) who is murdered by a gang of criminals but revived by the megacorporation Omni Consumer Products as the cyborg law enforcer RoboCop. Unaware of his former life, RoboCop executes a campaign against crime while coming to terms with the lingering fragments of his humanity. The film was conceived by Neumeier while working on the set of Blade Runner (1982), and he developed the idea with Miner. Their script was purchased in early 1985 by producer Jon Davison on behalf of Orion Pictures. Finding a director proved difficult; Verhoeven dismissed the script twice because he did not understand its satirical content, until he was convinced of its value by his wife. Filming took place between August and October 1986, mainly in Dallas, Texas. Rob Bottin led the special-effects team in creating practical effects, violent gore and the RoboCop costume. Verhoeven emphasized violence throughout the film, making it so outlandish that it became comical. Censorship boards believed that it was too extreme and several scenes were shortened or modified to receive an acceptable theatrical rating.

RoboCop was a financial success upon its release in July 1987, earning $53.4 million. Reviewers praised it as a clever action film with deeper philosophical messages and satire, but were conflicted about its extreme violence. The film was nominated for several awards, and won an Academy Award and a number of Saturn Awards. Six to eight months were spent searching for an actor to play Alex Murphy / RoboCop. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Ironside, Rutger Hauer, Tom Berenger, Armand Assante, Keith Carradine and James Remar were considered. Orion favored Schwarzenegger, the star of their recent success The Terminator (1984), but he and other actors were considered too physically imposing to be believable in the RoboCop costume; it was thought that Schwarzenegger would look like the Michelin Man or the Pillsbury Doughboy. Others were reluctant because their face would be largely concealed by a helmet. Davison said that Weller was the only person who wanted to be in the film. The low salary he commanded was in his favor, as were his good body control from martial-arts training and marathon running and his fan base in the science-fiction genre after his performance in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984). Verhoeven said he hired him because “his chin was very good”.] Weller spent months working with mime Moni Yakim, developing a fluid movement style with a stiff ending while wearing an American football uniform to approximate the finished costume. Weller said that working with Verhoeven was his main reason for choosing the role over appearing in King Kong Lives (1986).

Stephanie Zimbalist was cast as Murphy’s partner Anne Lewis, but dropped out because of contractual obligations to Remington Steele (which had been canceled in 1986, but was revived because of its popularity). Her replacement, Nancy Allen, thought the film’s title was terrible but found the script engrossing. Allen was known for her long blonde hair, but Verhoeven wanted it cut short so the character was not sexualized. Her hair was cut eight times before the desired look was achieved. Allen undertook police-academy training for her role, and sought advice from her police lieutenant father. Verhoeven encouraged her to act masculine and gain weight, which she accomplished by quitting smoking Kurtwood Smith auditioned for Boddicker and Jones. He was known mainly for television work, had not had film success, and saw RoboCop as a B-film with potential. The character was scripted to wear glasses so he would look like Nazi Party member Heinrich Himmler. Smith was unaware of this, and interpreted it as the character having an intelligent and militaristic front to conceal being a “sneering, smirking drug kingpin”. Ironside was offered the role, but did not want to be involved with another special effects-laden film or play a “psychopath” after working on Extreme Prejudice (1987). Robert Picardo also auditioned for the role. Ronny Cox had been stereotyped as playing generally nice characters, and said that this left the impression that he could not play more masculine roles. Because of this, Verhoeven cast him as the villainous Dick Jones. Cox said that playing a villain was “about a gazillion times more fun than playing the good guys”. Jones, he said, has no compassion and is an “evil [son of a bitch]”. Miguel Ferrer was unsure if the film would be successful, but was desperate for work and would have accepted any offer.The Old Man was based on MCA Inc. CEO Lew Wasserman, whom Neumeier considered a powerful and intimidating individual. Television host Bixby Snyder was written as an Americanized, more-extreme version of British comedian Benny Hill.Radio personality Howard Stern was offered an unspecified role, but turned it down because he thought the idea was stupid (although he later praised the finished film).