Prime Video's RoboCop Series Just Found The Actor Who Could Make It Must-Watch TV

The original "RoboCop" is one of those seemingly untouchable classics. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the 1987 sci-fi/action flick is downright perfect by the estimation of most cinephiles. There's a reason why its sequels aren't held in as high of regard. It's also why the 2014 remake (starring Joel Kinnaman) just sort of came and went. Now, Amazon is turning "RoboCop" into a TV show for Prime Video, which should be met with some skepticism. However, the casting choice for the series' lead should go a long way towards making it must-see TV.

According to Deadline, Dan Stevens has been set to tackle the titular role in Prime Video's "RoboCop" TV show, taking over the part initially made famous by the one and only Peter Weller. As mentioned, Kinnaman portrayed the character in 2014's "RoboCop," itself one of those sci-fi remakes that probably should've never happened. Nevertheless, Stevens gives the project an instant shot of life, as he feels like the perfect fit for the material. He's a great actor who doesn't have that A-list "I know them too well" energy and can disappear into the role, making it his own.

For those who may need a refresher, Verhoeven's "RoboCop" takes place in Detroit circa 2030 and centers on Alex Murphy (Weller), a respectable cop who gets blown away by ruthless criminals. As a result, doctors transform him into an unstoppable crime-fighting cyborg called "RoboCop." Equipped with high-tech weaponry, Murphy quickly cleans up the crime-ridden streets of his city. Yet, despite his new robot-like exterior, he still has nightmares of his own death.

In the new Prime Video series, "a giant tech conglomerate convinces the city to place a powerful robot on its police force — a robot implanted with the consciousness of a beloved, fallen officer, Alex Murphy (Stevens)."

Amazon's "RoboCop" TV series hails from showrunner Peter Ocko ("Lodge 49") and Blumhouse/Atomic Monster. Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner, the co-writers of the 1987 "RoboCop" movie, will also lend more credibility to the show by serving as executive producers. But again, it's Dan Stevens that's truly giving us reason to be optimistic.

Stevens has portrayed lots of freaky lil' weirdos on screen despite being what most people would quantify as traditionally handsome. He's an actor with range, good looks, and charm, yet he's a proper chameleon. He can do everything from playing a fun, regular guy who loves kaiju in "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" to being ridiculously funny in something like "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga" (or depicting one of the most convincing d-bag boyfriends ever put to film in "Colossal").

Furthermore, Stevens has, rather crucially, proved that he can deliver a performance underneath an exterior that isn't his own by portraying the Beast in 2017's "Beauty and the Beast." That's an absolute must for "RoboCop," especially since we're talking about a multi-episode show and not a single movie. He's going to have to show range without the full use of his face and body, but Stevens can absolutely do that.

The original "RoboCop" script may have literally spent some time in Paul Verhoeven's trash can, yet it gave rise to a true classic. That said, movies that are stretched out into shows have a deeply mixed track record, so Amazon has to convince viewers this is an experiment worth conducting. Casting a guy like Stevens, who isn't the most obvious choice but is certainly an interesting one, is a solid start.

Amazon's "RoboCop" show doesn't have a release date yet, but stay tuned.