Steven Spielberg’s Long-Delayed Sci-Fi Movie Based On Bestselling Novel Is Switching Formats

Published Nov 2, 2026, 8:12 PM EST

Matthew Rudoy is one of ScreenRant's Movie & TV News Editors. He covers the latest in movie & TV news, with a focus on major franchises like Star Wars, The Boys, and Game of Thrones, and also writes some features and reviews. He wrote lists for ScreenRant from 2017-2022, became a news writer in 2023, a senior staff writer in 2024, and an editor in 2025. 

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Steven Spielberg's Robopocalypse is transforming into a new format.

Before Daniel H. Wilson's Robopocalypse novel was published in 2011, Spielberg optioned the film rights and was slated to direct a film adaptation of the science-fiction story. A script was written by Drew Goddard, and Anne Hathaway and Chris Hemsworth were attached as stars at one point. Earlier this year, Spielberg confirmed Robopocalypse had been scrapped, explaining that the expensive project would have been "a company-ender."

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Robopocalypse is now being developed as a television show, with Ron Howard directing the pilot episode, Akiva Goldsman as the showrunner and writer of the pilot, and Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment executive producing. Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer and Jeb Brody, along with Weed Pictures' Greg Lessans and Rachel Wizenberg, will lead the series development in collaboration with Howard and Goldsman.

Howard released a statement explaining why he was drawn to the show and Wilson's source material, and his reaction to working with Goldsman once again. Check out the filmmaker's comments below:

Robopocalypse has all the scale and suspense of a major action story, but what drew me to it are the thought-provoking themes and humanity at its center. Daniel created a future that feels both startling and increasingly plausible, with characters who must figure out what connects us when the technology we rely on turns against us. I am also thrilled to work with Akiva again. We have shared some incredibly meaningful creative experiences, and this feels like the right story to bring us back together.