Starship Troopers TV show pitched by Casper Van Dien

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

There still doesn't seem to be a lot of traction with the Starship Troopers TV show that has been at least talked about since 2019 when original writer Ed Neumeier detailed plans that were underway for a possible series based on the 1997 sci-fi film which is, itself, based on the novel of the same name by Robert A. Heinlein. The show was to have the original cast return and one of those original stars, Casper Van Dien, has revealed his pitch for the television project.

Van Dien, who played Johnny Rico in the franchise, recently discussed his proposed idea with "Inverse" and while he didn't reveal potential plot details, the actor did say it involved him returning as "old man Rico" and he believes that now is the perfect time for Starship Troopers to hit the small screen:

"I think that Starship Troopers would be the best TV series right now. I think that it was such a cool first movie, and the other ones, they didn't have the heart that the first one had. I think a Starship Troopers movie, turned into a TV series now, everything that was in the original movie, would fit so well now with today's climate and everything. I think it would be nice to have old man Rico back. I think it would be fun to be in there and have some young blood in there, but still have one old, crotchety old man in there, like me… I think that would be a fun thing to shoot. I think with the political climate, and the place we're at today, it would fit so perfect."

Van Dien revealed last year that he had been heavily involved in the development of a Starship Troopers TV show. He also said that over the years that a lot of big directors have talked to him about Starship Troopers including Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright. If a show was to ever happen, Van Dien says he would love to have them come in and direct episodes of the series:

"I think that all those directors, it would be fun, to have them come in and do an episode or two or three, or an arc, or something like that. I think it would be fun if we had that kind of thing where it's real filmmakers making the thing. That would be my goal."

Van Dien has a lot of respect for the franchise, even though at the time of the first film's release, the movie wasn't exactly a huge hit out of the gate. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the film grossed $54.5 million at the domestic box office and $121.2 million worldwide on a $105 million budget. The story follows a young soldier named Johnny Rico (Van Dien) and his exploits in the Mobile Infantry, a futuristic military unit. Rico's military career progresses from recruit, to non-commissioned officer, and finally to officer, against a backdrop of an interstellar war between mankind and an insectoid species known as Arachnids. The movie found a cult following when it became available for home viewing and through its numerous airings on TV over the years. Starship Troopers actually got surprisingly decent reviews upon release, scoring a fresh 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the movie even earned an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 70th Academy Awards. The cast also includes Jake Busey, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Muldoon, and Michael Ironside.

Do YOU think this is the right time for a Starship Troopers TV show?