The only good bug

Recently announced is third part in Starship Troopers series. Despite being squashed at the box office (it made back only about half of its nearly $100 mil budget domestically, though worldwide and DVD eventually turned a profit), Paul Verhoeven's 1997 adaptation of the Heinlein novel is much-discussed for its commentary blend of gung-ho action and Riefenstahl-quoting propaganda. It hatched numerous spin-off properties: a board game, a pinball game, comic books, licensed and knock-off video games, and the computer-animated TV series Roughnecks (confusingly aired on now-defunct pro-Christian PAX network). 2004 straight-to-video sequel, the only directorial effort of effects guy Phil Tippett, was made for a tiny fraction of the original's cost (about $7 mil) and turned a profit on the original's well-liked name.

Casper Van Dien, who starred in the first but was absent in the second, will return to reprise his lead role. Ed Neumeier, who wrote the first two, will write and make his directorial debut.