Samuel L Jackson is to play a charismatic media mogul in the forthcoming remake of 1980s sci-fi classic Robocop, according to the Hollywood Reporter. His character, named Pat Novak, is said to be a powerful force in the new Robocop universe.

Britain’s Gary Oldman has already been announced as the scientist who creates the cyborgian crimefighter in José Padilha’s reimagining of Paul Verhoeven’s dystopian thriller, while Joel Kinnaman, star of the US remake of Danish crime series The Killing, has been cast as the new Robocop. Verhoeven’s 1987 film starred Peter Weller in his signature role as a Detroit cop who is murdered and resurrected as an armoured enforcer by corrupt officials. Weller also starred in a poorly received sequel in 1990 but did not return for Robocop 3 in 1993. The new version hopes to shoot in September in Toronto with the aim of a summer 2013 release.