Paul Verhoeven's 1997 satirical science-fiction film Starship Troopers has resurfaced as a streaming hit, nearly three decades after its release, with viewers drawn in partly by comparisons to the popular video game Helldivers 2, which drew heavy inspiration from the film. Initially panned by many critics as a shallow action romp, the film has since undergone a significant critical reassessment and is now widely regarded as a cult classic, prized for its satirical edge and over-the-top combat sequences.

Loosely based on Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel, the 129-minute film follows Johnny Rico, played by Casper Van Dien, as he joins the Mobile Infantry in a future society where military service grants citizenship, before humanity is plunged into war against a giant alien insect species called the Arachnids. The ensemble cast includes Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Neil Patrick Harris, Clancy Brown and Michael Ironside, among others, and the film's renewed streaming popularity has introduced it to a new generation of viewers.