Peter Weller Talks Paul Verhoeven and Robocop's Soul

Before a special showing of Robocop, Peter Weller talked with Ain't It Cool News' Harry Knowles about working with director Paul Verhoeven and his unique take on the character.
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Follow Harry on Twitter at / headgeek666
Music courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

[@Grizabeebles]

Peter Weller walked away from a career in Hollywood to get a PhD in history at a university in GREECE. He's not some babbling old bum, he's a PROFESSOR!

[@johnyguitar258]

what he was in greece and i dint know this fuuuck

[@Grizabeebles]

@@johnyguitar258 -- starting in 2004 he went to Syracuse University and got his Masters before teaching there for a few years and earning his Ph.D in Renaissance art history through UCLA in 2013.

[@johnnycage9305]

Fuckkkk... he was just getti g a laugh of making movies but schooling real mofos in real life

[@TheCastellan]

Plus Hollywood's mainly full of pedophiles and hypocrites, anyhow. So best he left.

[@Grizabeebles]

@@TheCastellan -- The Hollywood film industry supports over 2 million jobs. I doubt that over a million people are committing child abuse without the police or news reporters hearing about it. The "MeToo" movement was about getting adult women to report their bosses to the police.

[@MRFOURKAY]

On of the Greatest FILM's ever made , i never looked at the RoboCop as Sci-Fi but exactly felt the same way as "Peter Weller" did , after watching it ,hence the Quote! " Rebirth of a Soul " They can kill his Physical body only , but his Soul stays Eternal . Masterpiece of a FILM .

[@anthonymcgrath]

i absolutely LOVE that Peter Weller has sooo much enthusiasm and respect and love for the film, its messages and content buried amidst layers of what many would consider to be a dumbass sci fi 80s flick. Seeing this from him is just fantastic and that was 10 years ago wowww!

[@WallKenshiro]

He keeps explaining to me, to this day, why Robocop is my favorite film of all time.

[@KBXband]

Same. My first R rated movie too and Ive always thought that suit was the coolest shit EVER

[@coolins335]

If you listen to him for a long time, it's actually just that he's a really smart guy. And a pretty good director.

[@Rodimus1]

He's taking the MTV generation to school.

[@ted__ryan]

Snapchat generation

[@Tomherbs]

That jacket though

[@steelstreet3765]

I want it

[@ClassicalMusicOnline]

Peter Weller is some character.

[@AshtonCoolman]

I'm going to go watch Robocop right f'ing now.

[@Johny40Se7en]

IIIIIIIIIII Like it! 😆

[@seangates1451]

I was probably 11 or 12 the first time I saw this movie. It was dark and it probably scarred me a little but the thing that I got, right from that first viewing, was that Murphy was reclaiming himself as the film went on. Which is why that final line is so impactful. It’s also why the helmet comes off for the last act. It’s way deeper and more meaningful than it has any business being - and if it wasn’t we wouldn’t still be talking about it. One of the best movies ever. I appreciate how intelligent Peter Weller is, and how much thought he and everyone else involved put into it. It absolutely shows. And it may be Verhoeven’s best work.

[@RemiOlutimayin]

Same here

[@wimwiddershins]

Fkn profound. Love classis RoboCop more and more.

[@wallygator92]

Peter Weller is the only true Robcop Joel Kinnaman sucked as Robcop!

[@FZuloaga]

Don't be an asshole, dude. Kinnaman did a good job, the whole cast did. I'd blame the director and writers because that remake (that no one asked for) could be great not as the original... anyway. Don't be an idiot. Have some respect.

[@FZuloaga]

@Illuminator yeaaaah that's why his career is still going on, right?

[@FZuloaga]

@Illuminator idk, i'm not talking about Weller nor comparing. As I said before, Kinnaman's career is still going on and no one hires a dude who's all that crap you just said.

[@FZuloaga]

@Illuminator I'm not talking or comparing the acting career of Weller either, I've never said such thing. Read again. Clearly you're upset or got something against Kinnaman that I can't understand. Actually, the dude made and makes different genre movies, so He can't be that bad. And getting back to the Robocop stuff, Joel didn't create the storyline or directed it. I love the "period" fact claiming that you got the true about things, nice way to illuminate stuff.

[@throbbingfellow1136]

@illuminator777Of course Weller is the only real Robo, and a better actor in general, but there’s no need to denigrate Kinnaman so harshly. He did alright with what they were going for, a Robo who keeps his humanity from the beginning and can fully process what they’ve done to him.

[@U2QuoZepplin]

When he’s talking here , he sounds like a university lecturer giving a lesson on movie making. I love it when an actor is as wise about the business as the Director and producer!

[@cudaconv70]

Well spoken, Buckaroo

[@ethzero]

I could easily listen to this guy all day. Glad the YT algo keeps surfacing these fascinating clips.

[@drcoloso2099]

and thats what the remake is not going to talk: "rebirth of the spirit", I know Padilha, wanted to give his own focus, I belive to similar that Verhoven did back in 1987, but the studios just say, hey!!! we have this product you are going to do what we need!! and we need is more t-shits and crap whit the image of our product, and throwing away the real meanning of the movie, that the soul is stronger that kevlar armor

[@MindMazeEntertainment]

Funny. Didn't I see Peter Weller in Star Trek: Into Darkness this past summer, Dexter in season 6, and in Longmire season 2. I think he can do more than Robocop.

[@xLordOfNothingx]

Really a treat to hear Peter Weller talk, he could be a great teacher, love all his "got it?" pauses haha

[@Exverlobter]

My god, what the fuck is he wearing?

[@ted__ryan]

Better than that gay hipster trend

[@johnnycage9305]

Thats some biblical shit, and Robo Cop Approves

[@drdickqueso]

If you can watch ancient empires with Peter Wellers. He’s a great presenter

[@rileySOG.29]

Robocop fuckn awesome film.

[@neilsun2521]

Wow, the 'puddle' scene at the end represents walking in water! I knew there was some kind of symbology there. (It also seems to be about the Osiris/Horus story.)

[@TheMichaelBeck]

Left acting at the top of his game to get a PhD. That's next level badass.

[@MyGman2012]

Take a two intelligent people, one an actor the other the director. Both fused together made this movie what it is - timeless and ageless. So many layers. This movie is amazing and can be watched in 100 years time and it will still be relevant with all the ills of society, capitalism, robotics, the conflict between man and machine. This stuff is happening today. Watching this when you're young its guns, explosions and a cool robot. Watching it now as an older person, it's deep on so many levels. Everytime you watch it, you find something new that allows you to question in a philosophical sense. What it taught me you own only two things in this life - You only own your memories and experiences. (and soul or metaphysical self) Everything else, like materialism for example is meaningless. Actually, the only human equaliser is death itself. That's when we become truly equal.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

Great video...👍

[@CaptainGlack]

Man I love Peter Weller and how passionate he is, but every time he says "Got it!?" it sounds so aggressive ahaha.

[@richardzion1828]

He;s a Cop killer!

[@drazenbudis7881]

Richard Zion Just give me my fucking phonecall

[@LaLaLadi10]

Sure Peter was a preacher in a previous life ♥️

[@ted__ryan]

I like Peter's jacket! #swag

[@MrSilkydrew]

This is Genius.

[@UnnamedRedshirt]

2:23 Can anyone tell me the name of the Egyptian person Peter Weller is talking about? I can't understand it :)

[@caltopher]

Akhenaten otherwise known as Pharoah Amenhotep IV.

[@UnnamedRedshirt]

@@caltopher Thanks !

[@alexsmith5606]

so is his name pronounced Verhooven or Verhoven? cause i've always thought that it was Verhoven

[@hannahringel4892]

alex smith, in fact it’s a Dutch name and so oe is pronounced as oo.

[@Aeon2Flux]

I love how he keeps yelling "GOT IT!" after he drops the knowledge on everyone.. It's awesome and wish he would wear the suit one last time for Robocop Returns. I also wish Paul Verhoven would be involved in it as well. Co direct with Neil Blomkamp.. Neil could keep Paul from losing his way, like Lucas and Ridley did. Because he deserves better, with what he's doing with the Oats studio films.. Having Paul and Peter there to make certain the themes and essence of Robocop carries over. Hopefully not ending up destroying the name like almost all other reboots have been lately. I didn't mean to go off I just love Robocop and Peter Weller and how he keeps Yelling "GOT IT!" It's hilarious and profound..

[@龘纛爨灪麤彠]

I agree with you, but sadly, Weller refused to participate in Robocop Returns.. hope Blomkamp can change his mind. And the fact that Blomkamp wants Weller to play Murphy/Robocop again shows that he has some sort of respect for the legacy of Robocop, so I think he is the right man to direct Robocop returns...

[@DeadManSinging1]

Harry Knowles before we learned the truth

[@sandysandy-mg7zq]

I love you😔

[@mandymanilow65]

Miss you Peter...no more words😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😅😅😅😅🤣🤣🤣😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘

[@jofubar2763]

​@@mandymanilow65???

[@URIBENFILM]

Robocop is a film for the ages.

[@zombislasher]

Nice outfit Peter

[@ClbnaVGM]

I wish I was there in front of him.

[@ben8209]

Got it.

[@danrc777]

You've missed a lot!

[@v_alexiadis]

Spot on comment!

[@danrc777]

not really! He had other successes in life! Cronenberg/Naked Lunch... 24... star trek... etc.. and some films in the 80's 90's He's a very artistic actor

[@actwealthy]

Thank God for actors who read Joseph Campbell. Thank God! RoboCop was a movie about resurrection.....What's your name (identity) son? Murphy! That's right, as much as the character was a victim of a bureaucratic nightmare, the human spirit is stronger, and stronger than the excess. I too drove the 6000 SUX, and I drove the Mustang LX (robocop) cars. I hope Peter Weller turned JJ Abrams on to Joseph Campbell before Star Wars; read the Inner Reaches of Outer Space by Joseph Campbell!

[@ranwolf76]

yeah, because Robocop was the only movie he ever did... :\

[@winter8924]

ranwolf76 no it wasn't. The FUCK.

[@_________________7791]

😂😂😂

[@KingsWorld2015]

Why thank you sir, after all Peter was only a one hit wonder..... but you don't need to get so sentimental about it. lol

[@danrc777]

Padilha is talented, We can wait for his version to be watched in a movie theatre. THe new RoboCop has potential. It's a different version.

[@KingsWorld2015]

yeah exactly, he's still a bum. Who would walk away from a career in Hollywood? the truth is this guy could only do Robocop..

[@LordMalice6d9]

Most modern hollywierd actors and actresses are pedophiles or moral reprobates.

[@gorillapancake]

Is he drunk?

[@LaLaLadi10]

No. Are you?

[@KingsWorld2015]

okay he's a 4 hit wonder then.. so what?

[@JockMcBile]

Peter Weller seems to be a really nice guy.

[@theothertroll]

Peter, tell me a story 🤪

[@webchez69]

Peter Weller is much more than this one character... He really should teach story writing and movie making...