| Starship Troopers | |
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&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Starship_Troopers_-_movie_poster.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Paul Verhoeven |
| Screenplay by | Edward Neumeier |
| Based on | Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Jost Vacano |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Basil Poledouris |
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Running time | 129 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100–110 million |
| Box office | $121 million |
Starship Troopers is a 1997 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier, based on the 1959 novel by Robert A. Heinlein. Set in the 23rd century, the story follows teenager Johnny Rico and his comrades as they serve in the military of the United Citizen Federation, an Earth-based world government engaged in an interstellar war against an alien species known as the Arachnids. The film stars Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Muldoon, and Michael Ironside.
Development of Starship Troopers began in 1991 as Bug Hunt at Outpost 7, written by Neumeier. After recognizing similarities between Neumeier's script and Heinlein's book, producer Jon Davison suggested aligning the script more closely with the novel to garner greater interest from studio executives. Despite these efforts development was slow, with studios hesitant to fund the costly project right up to the start of filming. Principal photography took place between April and October 1996 on a $100–110 million budget, of which nearly half was spent on the extensive computer-generated imagery (CGI) and practical effects required to vivify the Arachnid creatures.
Released on November 7, 1997, Starship Troopers faced critical backlash, with reviewers interpreting the film as endorsing fascism and disparaging its violence and cast performances. Despite initial box office success, collections slowed down amid negative reviews and unfavorable word of mouth, culminating in a $121 million total gross against its budget, which made it the 34th-highest-grossing film of 1997. The disappointing performance of Starship Troopers was blamed, in part, on competition from a high number of successful or anticipated science fiction and genre films released that year, its satire and violence failing to connect with mainstream audiences, and ineffective marketing.
Since its release, Starship Troopers has been critically re-evaluated and is now considered a cult classic and a prescient satire of fascism and authoritarian governance that has grown in relevancy. The film launched a multimedia franchise that includes four sequels—Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004), Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008), Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012), and Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars (2017)—as well as a 1999 animated television series, video games, comics, and a variety of merchandise.