First Look at Hugh Jackman's Robot Boxing Movie 'Real Steel'
Jackman plays real life Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
Photo: DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC
The first two looks at Hugh Jackman's next film, Real Steel, directed by Night at the Museum franchise helmer Shawn Levy just found their way into my inbox and unfortunately they don't really offer up much considering the nature of the film's plot line.
Described as a "gritty, white-knuckle, action ride," Real Steel is set in the near-future, where the sport of boxing has gone hi-tech. Charlie Kenton (Jackman) is a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.
I guess the part I don't quite understand is why a robot would need to be trained. Wouldn't it just be programmed to win, throw it in a ring and see what happens? Isn't this basically what happened in that Robot Wars TV show? Or even better yet, isn't this a silly extension of the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots toys?
Along with Jackman, the film stars Evangeline Lilly ("Lost"), Dakota Goyo, Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker).
I have added two new images to the RopeofSilicon gallery, which includes a larger look at the image above and a second one with Levy and Jackman. You can click here to check them both out.
Real Steel marks the first DreamWorks film being released by Disney's Touchstone Pictures under their new deal and it hits theaters on November 18, 2011, the same weekend as the first part of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn and Happy Feet 2.
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Is this movie base on the Twilight Zone episode "Steel"?
This was the first thing I thought of when I read this piece. Seems extremely similar. I really enjoyed that episode so if that is the route they're going it could be decent. Not loving Shawn Levy as director though.
It's a goofy premise, but I suppose it could work… there's really not enough information about it yet. As for why a robot would need a trainer, given the direction of artificial intelligence, that doesn't seem like such a stretch. Observation and mimicry would be the fastest way to impart new information and skills to a robot that was capable of learning. Surely, if such things ever exist, we wouldn't want to have to hire a programmer to specifically type in a ton of code that somehow translates into simple actions that an average person (or an expert in a specific action) could just show them instead. Plus, in a competitive arena, people probably wouldn't rely on some base, uniform set of skills that you just copy from robot to robot, but would want to constantly improve on those so as to stay on the cutting edge.
I guess it all comes down to how the robots are portrayed in this movie as to whether audiences instantly accept the training idea or if the whole thing just seems as silly as the summary sounds on first hearing it.
Jackman and Lily – enough said i am on board already… LOST withdrawal has clouded my judgement.. but in all honesty this could work…
I'd have to see a trailer because just the description sounds a bit weird. Especially a reunion with an estranged son?
I dunno, have to wait and see but right now expectations aren't very high.
2 words: Shawn Levy!!! every one can understand why i'm not excited
2 Words: Eugene Levy!!! …won't be in this movie so I probably won't catch it.
Can we have a caption contest for the picture?
"Those are the TV execs that canceled 'Viva Laughlin'! Get 'em!"
this sounds pretty awful…
What's next; the hungry,hungry hippo movie? I bet somebody somewhere has a script for connect four: evolution, maybe instead of marvel, disney should have bought film rights from parker brothers properties.
the only way this story would make sense in regards to the training aspect, is if the robot emulates the boxing moves of hugh jackman's character.