Forty years after ROBOCOP transformed downtown Dallas into a dystopian vision of the future, the iconic film is returning to the big screen for a special anniversary screening with a real-world mission: helping preserve one of the city’s most recognizable architectural landmarks, Dallas City Hall.
On Saturday, June 13, the Historic Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff will host a special screening of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 sci-fi classic benefiting the Save Dallas City Hall Coalition. A portion of ticket proceeds will support ongoing efforts to preserve the landmark building as discussions continue around the future of downtown redevelopment.
“City Hall’s future is under threat as our Council considers demolishing it to benefit private interests,” said Amy Walton of the Save Dallas City Hall Coalition. We invite residents to visit SaveDallasCityHall.com to contact their Council Member prior to their June vote. And join us for some fun on June 13th, when Texas Theatre is hosting a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the filming of ROBOCOP at City Hall!”
Filmed in Dallas in the mid-1980s, ROBOCOP prominently featured the striking architecture of Dallas City Hall, designed by legendary architect I.M. Pei. The building’s futuristic design became synonymous with the film’s corporate dystopia and remains one of the movie’s most memorable visual elements.
The evening will include:
- An introduction by ROBOCOP film scholar and SMU Department of English Chair Christopher González
- An update on the future of Dallas City Hall
- A sci-fi cosplay costume contest
- Exclusive commemorative merchandise
- “I.M. Dallas” T-shirts designed by artist Rob Wilson
- “Greetings from the Iconic Dallas City Hall” posters by artist Bryan Spear
- 3D City Hall models created by UTA CAPPA and Arcadis
Special guest Yolonda Williams — who made her professional film debut as Officer Ramirez in ROBOCOP — will also participate in the celebration. Williams, a Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts graduate, has also appeared in Friday Night Lights and the Robert Johnson documentary Can’t You Hear the Wind Howl. She currently hosts Fun on the Run weekdays on CW33 in DFW.
Christopher González, Professor and Chair of English at Southern Methodist University, approaches ROBOCOP through the lens of speculative storytelling, urban design, and civic identity.
“He approaches ROBOCOP as an occasion to think about how speculative storytelling stages urban architecture, the cyborg body, disposable cities, and corporate power — questions the Dallas City Hall puts directly into the civic frame,” organizers said.
Event Details
What: ROBOCOP 40th Anniversary Screening Benefiting Save Dallas City Hall Coalition
When: Saturday, June 13 — Doors at 6 p.m. | Screening at 7 p.m.
Where: Texas Theatre, 231 Jefferson Blvd., Dallas, TX 75208
Tickets: $22 SaveDallasCityHall.com/ROBOCOP
More Info: SaveDallasCityHall.com/ROBOCOP
The event is sponsored by:
SMU Department of English, Atwell, Beyond the Bar, Kelly J. Kitchens, UTA CAPPA, and Arcadis.
For Dallas film fans, architecture lovers, preservation advocates, and sci-fi devotees alike, the screening offers a rare chance to celebrate a cinematic classic while supporting the future of one of Dallas’ most iconic buildings.
