‘RoboCop’: Dan Stevens cast as Alex Murphy in Prime Video’s live-action series

Amazon MGM Studios has announced that Stevens will headline its RoboCop television adaptation, taking over the iconic role first played by Peter Weller in Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 film. The eight-episode series is being developed by Lodge 49 and Pushing Daisies creator Peter Ocko, who serves as writer, showrunner and executive producer.

The series will return to the story of Alex Murphy, a police officer who is killed in the line of duty and subsequently transformed into a cybernetic law-enforcement officer by a powerful technology corporation. Prime Video’s official premise describes a giant tech company persuading a city to deploy a powerful robot within its police force, with Murphy’s consciousness implanted inside the machine.

That setup brings the television series back to the central character of the original RoboCop, after earlier reports had suggested that the Amazon adaptation could introduce a new protagonist rather than revisit Murphy. Stevens will therefore become the latest actor to portray the character, following Weller’s performances in the original two films, Robert John Burke in RoboCop 3 and Joel Kinnaman in the 2014 reboot.

Stevens is best known for playing Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey before taking on considerably stranger material, including the unstable mutant David Haller in FX’s Legion. His film credits include Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Guest, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Cuckoo. He has also appeared in Zero Day and Solar Opposites, with upcoming television work including the third season of The Terror.

The creative team includes James Wan, who executive produces through Blumhouse Atomic Monster alongside Michael Clear and Rob Hackett. Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner, the co-creators and co-writers of the original 1987 RoboCop, are also executive producers, giving the new series a direct connection to the film that launched the franchise.

The RoboCop franchise began with the 1987 film starring Weller and expanded through two sequels, television productions, animation, video games and comics. The 2014 feature reboot starred Kinnaman as Murphy, although plans for further films have remained in development limbo.

Prime Video officially ordered its RoboCop series in July, giving it an eight-episode first season. The show does not yet have a confirmed premiere date.