What is the order of the RoboCop movies?

By Alex Wiggan

In 1987, science-fiction action movie, RoboCop made its way into cinemas. The film – directed by Paul Verhoeven – followed the story of Detroit police officer, Alex Murphy, who is killed in the line of duty and is resurrected as a cyborg law enforcer.

In the film, Alex is killed and mutilated, in an extremely violent act, leaving his body destroyed. What remains of Alex is then combined with high-tech cybernetic parts to form the eponymous RoboCop.

Loaded with state-of-the-art special effects, big action sequences, extreme violence and plenty of satire, when it made its debut in ‘87, RoboCop was unlike anything else. Audiences loved what was on offer, the box office results reflected this, and an icon was born.

With RoboCop being such a success, a sequel was soon put into production under the title, RoboCop 2. Further movies followed, transforming RoboCop into a long-running franchise.

But how many RoboCop movies are there and what is the order of the films? For all the details, keep reading.

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The RoboCop movies in order

RoboCop (1987)

The first entry in the RoboCop movie series is 1987’s RoboCop. Starring Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O’Herlihy, and Ronny Cox, the film was written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner, and posed the question, what becomes of a man after he is resurrected as a cyborg?

Set in a dystopian version of Detroit, in the near future, RoboCop followed the story of Alex Murphy – a police officer who is brutally murdered by a vicious gang. Once Murphy is dead, his remains are then claimed by mega-corporation, OCP (Omni Consumer Products), who use his body as the starting point for a new cybernetic officer.

This officer is dubbed ‘RoboCop’ – a seemingly unstoppable lawman. RoboCop is half-man, half-machine, but as far as OCP is concerned, he has no memories of his life as Alex Murphy.

But OCP is wrong, and over time RoboCop begins to see flashes of his past life. And the more that RoboCop remembers who Alex Murphy is, the more he wants to bring Murphy’s killers to justice.

RoboCop 2 (1990)

Following the success of RoboCop, RoboCop 2 was soon put into production, arriving in cinemas in 1990. Set shortly after the events of the original, the film revolved around OCP’s attempts to develop further robo-law enforcers.

In the film, RoboCop is still dealing with his past trauma, while the city experiences a rise in crime. One of these criminals is Cain, who becomes an unlikely candidate to become the next RoboCop.

RoboCop 3 (1993)

Although RoboCop 2 was neither as critically or commercially well-received as it’s predecessor, the film was still a box office hit. As such, a third film followed, arriving in 1993 under the title, RoboCop 3.

For this film, Robert Burke took over the lead role, in what would be a less violent entry in the series. The idea was to make the film a little lighter in its tone, to ensure it could play to a wider (and younger) audience.

In RoboCop 3, RoboCop vows to avenge the death of his partner, Anne Lewis. Meanwhile, he also has to help the citizens of Detroit from a scheme that will see their homes demolished to pave way for a new city.

RoboCop (2014)

Following the release of RoboCop 3, which was not well-received, the RoboCop film franchise went on hold, paving the way for multiple RoboCop television shows to get off the ground for the next few years. None of these shows were particularly successful, and in 2014, RoboCop returned to the big screen for a reboot of the film franchise.

Starring Joel Kinnaman as Alex Murphy, this new version of RoboCop took the premise of the original film, but reworked it for a new generation. RoboCop also received a makeover in the film, with a whole new suit design.

The RoboCop movies in order

Should you wish to watch the RoboCop movies in order, watch them as follows:

RoboCop (1987)
RoboCop 2 (1990)
RoboCop 3 (1993)
RoboCop (2014)

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Are all of the RoboCop movies part of the same series?

The RoboCop movies are divided into two different iterations, which are set out as follows:

The original trilogy

RoboCop (1987)
RoboCop 2 (1990)
RoboCop 3 (1993)

The stand-alone reboot

RoboCop (2014)

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What is RoboCop: Prime Directives? Are these additional movies to the ones listed above?

In 2001, Fireworks Entertainment and MGM produced a four-part Canadian television mini-series, titled RoboCop: Prime Directives. Set ten years after the events of the original film, the series starred Page Fletcher as Alex Murphy/RoboCop, and saw RoboCop come face-to-face with a new cyborg, created from one of Murphy’s former partners, John Cable.

Each episode of RoboCop: Prime Directives ran 95 minutes long, making it effectively a feature-length adventure. As such, each episode is sometimes marketed on home video as a movie, even though it is actually one instalment in a four-part mini-series

The four episodes of RoboCop: Prime Directives are as follows:

RoboCop: Prime Directives: Dark Justice (2001)
RoboCop: Prime Directives: Meltdown (2001)
RoboCop: Prime Directives: Resurrection (2001)
RoboCop: Prime Directives: Crash and Burn (2001)

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Who are the cast of the RoboCop movie series and who are the directors?

Notable cast members in the RoboCop movie series include Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O’Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, Ray Wise, Paul McCrane, Tom Noonan, Robert Burke, Rip Torn, Mako, Joel Kinnaman, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Gary Oldman, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, and Jay Baruchel.

In terms of the RoboCop directors, they are as follows:

Paul Verhoeven directed 1987’s RoboCop
Irvin Kershner directed RoboCop 2
Fred Dekker directed RoboCop 3
José Padilha directed 2014’s RoboCop

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Which is the best RoboCop movie?

Fans of the RoboCop movie series generally agree that 1987’s RoboCop is the best entry in the franchise. According to IMDb the films are rated as follows:

RoboCop (1987) – 7.6/10
RoboCop 2 (1990) – 5.8/10
RoboCop 3 (1993) – 4.1/10
RoboCop (2014) – 6.1/10

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If you’re a fan of the RoboCop movies, then you may wish to know that all of the movies have been released on home video, including the original RoboCop trilogy in one complete collection.

The RoboCop Trilogy Blu-ray includes 1987’s RoboCop, RoboCop 2, and RoboCop 3.

The RoboCop Trilogy Blu-ray is available from all good entertainment stores including Amazon US and Amazon UK.

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Disclaimer: I earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

Editor/writer

Alex Wiggan

Alex is the writer and editor of It’s A Stampede! – a blog which specialises in movies, TV, comics, retro toys, and general geekery. He is a championing voice in nerd content, an expert in pop culture, and a trusted movie critic who publishes new reviews on a weekly basis. After graduating with a degree in film & television studies from the University of Derby in the UK, Alex went on to study journalism in Sheffield, before acquiring NCTJ accreditation. Prior to creating It’s A Stampede!, Alex was a magazine editor, a senior copywriter, a features writer, and a freelancer.

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