Giant Robocop statue built in Detroit

Gotham needs a hero, but Detroit’s getting one… 

I giant Robocop statue is being built in the city, after a successful online campaign to give Detroit an epic new ambassador.

[Related story: New suit for Robocop]
[Related story: Robocop release pushed back]

Back in 2011 Twitter user @MT suggested to Detroit Mayor Dave Bing that a statue of the metallic movie hero would make a “great ambassador” for the city he policed (in the future).

Unsurprisingly, Mayor Bing calmly batted the suggestion away…

However, from that single tweet the Detroit needs Robocop campaign was born, and has now raised over $60,000 (£39,000) to erect the monument to Murphy  - the cop-turned-cyborg in Paul Verhoeven’s cult 1987 movie.

A statement on the group’s Kickstart page read:

“We hope you love it as much as we do, and we hope you send good vibes to all the craftsmen and the production team who've run across the obstacle course to get here, as we all send good vibes back to you, the awesome, patient, and hopefully super happy backers!”

These amazing pictures show the final “pre-casting” form of the 10-foot-high statue, before it was sent to be set in bronze elsewhere in the city.

‘Detroit needs Robocop’ are now hoping for a Spring 2014 unveiling.

Interestingly, a remake of Verhoeven’s original movie is currently in production – starring Joel Kinnaman as the man in metal, with Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson pitching in too. However leaked images of the “new suit” met with massive fan disappointment, causing Brazilian director Jose Padilha to push the release date back, giving him time to “correct things".

Like the statue, ‘Robocop’ is now slated for Spring 2014. Coincidence? Maybe.