With new RoboCop sequel RoboCop Returns on the horizon, Peter Weller has dusted off his old suit and once again stepped into his iconic role as the future of Detroit law enforcement… but not for the new movie. Instead, Weller is playing RoboCop in a new series of ads for Kentucky Fried Chicken, where he is acting as the brand’s newest iteration of Colonel Sanders, Colonel RoboCop.
Weller has been confirmed to at least be the voice of the character by Slash Film, but it’s unknown whether that’s actually Weller inside the suit or if it’s another (likely younger) actor. In the ads, Colonel RobCop has been hired by KFC to protect the original recipe of their chicken, going so far as to threaten those who would ask for it.
In additional ads, the robotic policeman offers the company’s $5 Fill Up to a “hungry boy” and its $20 Fill Up to a family who happens to be watching RoboCop as he strolls into their living room.
Neill Blomkamp, who is directing RoboCop Returns, has previously stated his interest in having the 71-year-old Weller reprise his role for the new film. However, he appears to not have had anything to do with Weller — or RoboCop — appearing in the KFC ads. By looking at his Twitter, you could even infer that Blomkamp isn’t a fan of the character being used to sell chicken, as he stated in reference to the ads, “Yeah this is a problem.”
yeah this is a problem https://t.co/BaJQA9XpuM
— Neill Blomkamp (@NeillBlomkamp) February 21, 2019
Regardless of Blomkamp’s objections, it seems likely that the return of classic RoboCop is a good thing as far as bringing the franchise back into the zeitgeist is concerned — even if he is selling chicken.
