37 Years Later, Insane Detail Discovered on Cult Sci-Fi Movie Poster!

Released in theaters in 1988, Robocop attracted 1.6 million viewers in French cinemas alone and quickly became an international sensation, capturing the hearts of pop culture fans worldwide. The film takes us to a futuristic Detroit.

Crime is a constant problem. On one side, Jones has developed a highly sophisticated war machine, ED 209. On the other, Leon, an ambitious man, has created Robocop, a half-human, half-robot entity.

Robocop, embodied by Murphy (Peter Weller), a young police officer killed by criminals, emerges victorious. He becomes a professional killer working for the city.

50% Man, 50% Machine, 100% Cop!

If you were a kid in the 90s, you couldn’t have missed Robocop, even if you didn’t fully grasp the political satire beneath its ultra-violent surface, a signature of the furious Dutch director Paul Verhoeven.

Moreover, another detail probably escaped you, even though it’s massive! You surely remember the iconic movie poster showing the robotic super cop standing tall, looking determined as he exits his police car, hand on the door, ready for action.

At the top of the poster, one of the coolest taglines of all time reads: 50% man, 50% machine, 100% cop! At first glance, this poster looks typical, featuring the actor in his armor. However, it’s not an actual photograph from the filming or a specific photo session!

A Legendary Poster Hides a Secret!

Hold on tight! The Robocop poster is actually a photorealistic painting created by artist Mike Bryan for the promotional needs of the film. Well-known in the movie industry, he’s also behind the iconic posters of Platoon and Scarface!

Mike Bryan’s skill is so profound that everyone was deceived into thinking it was a real photograph of Robocop! A few years ago, artist Justin Ishmael and Bottleneck Gallery decided to reissue the poster as a limited-edition screen print. During this event, Mike Bryan discussed his craft.

“My work from the Robocop era was created on ammonia-sensitive paper, which also means the paper is slightly sensitive. As the chemicals in the paper evolved, the image transformed. The blacks are now deep red in some areas. The intensity of the color has faded somewhat. But the piece is in pretty good shape for something delicate that was executed years ago,” he shared.

“Interestingly, even though I’ve worked on many high-profile film projects in the digital age, people seem to prefer this hand-painted art, and I remain most well-known among my peers as the guy who created Robocop and also worked with John Lennon,” Mike Bryan emphasized.

In any case, if you have never seen the original 1987 film, a masterpiece of ultra-violent science fiction with a biting political satire, don’t hesitate to get it on Blu-ray or DVD! For the record, the Robocop suit was so heavy and hot that Peter Weller lost up to 3.3 pounds per day while wearing it.

An air conditioning system was eventually installed in the armor to make things more bearable for the actor. Moreover, with a cost ranging between $500,000 and $1,000,000, the suit was the most expensive item in the film.