First Image from "Real Steel"
Mon, June 14, 2010 It just started filming this week, but USA Today already has the first promotional photo from Dreamworks Real Steel, starring Hugh Jackman and directed by Night at the Museum's Shawn Levy.
The film takes place in the year 2020, when human boxing has been outlawed and fighters have been replaced by robots. Jackman plays a former boxer-turned-promoter who, bonds with his estranged 11-year-old son (Dakota Goyo) while rescuing a junkyard robot called Atom who just may be the next great robot-boxing champion.
While motion-capture animation for the robots will be used for the fight scenes, 19 animatronic robots have been built for the film. Levy says the mix of CG and live-action robots was encouraged by executive producer Steven Spielberg. "There are some things only visual effects can pull off," Levy told USA Today. "But when you give an actor a real thing, in this case a real 8-foot-tall machine, to interact with and do dialogue opposite, you get a more grounded reality to the performance."
Jackman was impressed by his robot co-stars. "The moment of walking in and seeing these robots, my jaw was on the floor," he said. "That's because the robot in this image is a real device, not a digital visual effect."
Wow, so a robot movie not relying on CG to tell a story? Has someone mentioned this to Michael Bay yet? The movie sounds a bit like Rocky meets The Champ (hopefully with a happier ending), and I'm always up for anything starring Hugh Jackman. Sounds promising so far.
Real Steel is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 18, 2011. However, that is now also the same weekend part one of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn begins its reign of terror in multiplexes, so maybe it will need to find a better weekend? Stay tuned.
Reader Comments (3)
I don't know... for me this looks cheesy and stupid. Am I alone in thinking that?
Probably not. But if it's done well it sounds like it could be fun. Shawn Levy takes a lot of heat, but the first Night at the Museum and Date Night were totally enjoyable movies. Not every movie needs to be some centerpiece of dark, angsty misery, and I'm more interested in this than another Transformers crapfest.
I do agree with Dave that this does look like shit. But Jen makes a good point, Night at the Museum and date Night were great. So I'll give him the benefit of the doubt until we at least see a trailer.