Popverse's top stories of the day

• Marvel's Kevin Feige talked to John Boyega about who he'd play in the MCU, but "there ain't no room for me," says the Star Wars star
• MEMBERS ONLY: Watch the Lord of the Rings movie reunion panel with Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, John Rhys-Davies, and Andy Serkis from Chicago's C2E2 2025
• Sorry, webheads: Tom Hardy says we weren't as close to that Spidey/Venom movie as was reported

In the RoboCop spotlight panel at C2E2 2025, an animated Peter Weller (RoboCop himself!) quickly threw down the gauntlet for the fandom, asking the audience to tell him what RoboCop is about in one single word. Co-star Nancy Allen seemed to think someone in the audience shouted "Cannibalism" (perhaps that's an uncut version of the Frank Miller script for the sequel!), and answers ranged from love to economics. But there was only one right answer for Weller.

"Resurrection," a fan yelled, to Weller's thunderous approval. The story of RoboCop's journey and resurrection has resonated with fandom since 1987, and for Weller, it's Murphy finding peace with a return to the living that stands out. "This movie ain't indemnified because I shot somebody in the crotch," Weller joked, although certainly that didn't hurt.

The focus on RoboCop's themes led Allen and Weller to look back fondly on director Paul Verhoeven, although Weller admitted that originally "I thought he was a screwball." It was Verhoeven's energy and conviction that elevated the movie - "he was the engine" remarked Allen - and Weller shared an anecdote how the director sold him on the importance of resurrection in the movie.

"Your soul is waking up," Weller recalled Verhoeven telling him, "It's the only thing they can't take from you. Progress can't take your soul."

The conversation led Weller to understand that "everything is more graphic if it's spiritual," and gave a heart and purpose to what otherwise could have been yet another 80s action vehicle with outsized explosions and gunplay. It's a movie that even decades later found a way to move Weller himself.

What do you think? Is resurrection the right word to summarize RoboCop, or do you take away something else?

Did you miss a C2E2 Main Stage panel? Don't worry, we're filming it all thanks to our partners at CGC x JSA -  our official authenticator & grading partner. Here is the C2E2 2025 panel list and release schedule.